Sean 'Diddy' Combs asks judge for clemency ahead of sentencing, confessing 'I lost my way'
Courtroom illustration
Found guilty rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has penned a correspondence to the court official managing his legal case, seeking mercy during his court judgment on Friday and ascribing his previous actions on drug addiction.
In the multi-page document, he expresses regret "for all of the pain and suffering that I have caused" and asserts that he has been changed after serving 13 months in a Brooklyn jail.
The correspondence on Thursday arrives hours ahead of his judicial proceeding at 10:00 ET (15:00GMT) on Friday.
In July, he was convicted of two commercial sex-related counts and now faces up to 20 years in incarceration. Legal authorities are advocating for a punishment of at least 11 years, but Combs' lawyers are arguing that he be set free later this month.
Addressing Past Relationship
In his personal appeal to the presiding judge, Combs apologises for attacking his ex-girlfriend, singer Casandra Ventura, writing: "I completely lost control".
"I'm apologetic about that and always will be," he goes on. "My relationship aggression will always be significant weight that I will have to always bear."
He also offers apologies to an anonymous woman who gave evidence during the trial under the name "Jane" and states he became "lost in the drugs and the excess".
"I deviated from my path," he stated. "My collapse was stemmed from my selfishness. I have been brought low and shattered to my foundation."
Complainants' Fears
Combs' accusers have also corresponded with the presiding officer, detailing how he used his authority and status to damage their wellbeing, and their apprehensions that he would attempt retaliation if freed.
"I am so terrified that if he is released, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who came forward," wrote Ms Ventura.
She further stated that she is convinced he warrants a lengthy prison term, declaring: "He has no inclination to improve or becoming better. He will always be the same harsh, controlling, scheming man that he is."
Rehabilitation Claims
In his written appeal, Combs details teaching a course to incarcerated individuals on "what I did to become a prosperous entrepreneur", portraying himself as a changed person who is now sober for the first time in 25 years.
"The previous version of myself ceased to exist in prison and transformed individual was resurrected," he declares.
Combs proceeds to request compassion from the court, "not only for my welfare, but for the welfare of my children". He petitioned the judge to take into account his seven children, and his aging maternal figure who experienced neurological operation.
He comments that the presiding officer might be persuaded to use him as a warning and instead petitions that he be made an example of "what a person can do if afforded a opportunity for redemption".
Courtroom Events
Combs is also scheduled to address in court on Friday before the presiding officer pronounces his ruling. His legal representatives are also scheduled to address, and his attorney group also plans to show a short film. It's unknown what the video may include.
In July, a legal tribunal cleared him of the most serious accusations: racketeering and sex trafficking - which could have resulted in him spending the rest of his life behind bars. He was found guilty of two offenses of arranging travel for commercial sex.
The prosecution say he is "unrepentant" and argued the music artist should undergo a at least 11 years in incarceration.
"The individual on trial attempts to reframe years of mistreatment as simply the function of reciprocally harmful connections," government attorneys stated in a 29 September filing. "But there is no equality about a partnership where a single party wields total authority and the other ends up bloodied and bruised."