Disgraced hip-hop impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs escaped a possible life sentence when he was acquitted of the most serious charges in the infamous sex trafficking trial.
The bombshell case was adjudicated when the jury found Diddy, 55, guilty of the lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, but absolved him of two counts of sex trafficking and racketeering. If he had been convicted of all five, Diddy could have spent the rest of his life in federal prison.
There are some similarities in the Diddy and O.J. Simpson trials
Sentencing for Diddy is scheduled for October 3. Ironically, that was the date in 1995 when O.J. Simpson was exonerated of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
The defense team made a calculated move not to have Diddy testify on his own behalf, which drew praise from legal heavyweight Robert Shapiro, who was a part of “The Dream Team” lawyers who helped procure an acquittal for Simpson in the “Trial of the Century.”
“The defense team did a terrific job on a case that the U.S. Attorney overcharged. An acquittal in federal court is highly unusual. Congratulations to Mark and Tenny for building an incredible group of talented lawyers,” Shapiro told Fox News.
Diddy’s legal team, led by Teny Geragos and Marc Agnifilo, included a lineup of seasoned attorneys: Brian Steel, Anna Estevao, Jason Driscoll, Xavier R. Donaldson and Alexandra Shapiro. They aren’t as famous as The Dream Team led by the late legendary Johnnie Cochran, as well as Robert Kardashian, Barry Scheck, F. Lee Bailey, and Shapiro, but they are now known in legal circles nationwide.
Some legal analysts also provided commentary in the Simpson trial
Shapiro’s sentiments about Diddy’s defense team were echoed by Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz. He was a popular and frequent legal guest analyst during the Simpson trial exactly 30 years ago.
“Ultimately, the smart decision was not putting O.J. on the witness stand. The smart decision here was not putting Diddy on the witness stand. The difference is we want a complete victory. They got a partial victory, but an almost complete victory, so I commend them for excellent work,” Dershowitz said.
The outspoken law professor added, “I think this was a good day for justice today, and it showed the power of juries to stand up against the federal government. And that’s a necessary check on the excesses of prosecutors.”
