Convicted rap magnate Sean “Diddy” Combs has submitted a letter to the judge presiding over his criminal trial, requesting consideration for leniency during his sentencing scheduled for Friday and attributing his previous actions to drug dependency.
In the four-page correspondence, he expresses remorse “for all the pain and distress that I have inflicted” and claims to have transformed after 13 months spent in a Brooklyn correctional facility.
The letter submitted on Thursday arrives just hours before his sentencing session at 10:00 ET (15:00 GMT) on Friday.
In July, he was convicted on two counts of prostitution-related charges and now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years. Prosecutors are pursuing a minimum sentence of 11 years, while Combs’ legal team is advocating for his release later this month.
In his communication to Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs expresses regret for assaulting his former girlfriend, singer Casandra Ventura, stating: “I basically lost my sanity”.
“I apologize for that, and I will always regret it,” he adds. “My domestic violence will be a heavy burden I must forever bear.”
He also conveys his apologies to a nameless woman who testified during the trial under the pseudonym “Jane”, mentioning he became “immersed in drugs and excess”.
“I lost my path,” he wrote. “My downfall stemmed from my selfishness. I have been humbled and shattered to my core.”
Combs’ accusers have also reached out to the judge, detailing how he exercised his power and influence to devastate their lives, expressing concerns that he might seek vengeance if released.
“I am deeply afraid that if he is set free, his immediate actions will involve harsh retribution towards me and others who have spoken out,” Ms. Ventura wrote.
She emphasized that she believes he warrants a lengthy sentence, stating: “He has no desire to change or improve. He will perpetually remain the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative individual he is.”
In his letter, Combs talks about instructing fellow inmates on “the steps I took to become a successful businessman”, portraying himself as a transformed individual now sober for the first time in a quarter of a century.
“The previous version of me died in prison, and a new me has emerged,” he asserts.
Combs further pleads with the judge for compassion, “not only for myself but also for the sake of my children”. He urged the judge to consider his seven children and his 84-year-old mother, who recently underwent brain surgery.
He acknowledges that the judge might feel compelled to set an example with his case, but instead asks to be a testament to “what a person can achieve if given a second opportunity”.
Combs is anticipated to address the court on Friday before the judge hands down his sentence. Four of his attorneys are also expected to speak, and his defense team plans to present a 15-minute video. The contents of the video have not been disclosed.
In July, a jury acquitted him of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have led to a life sentence. He was found guilty of two counts related to transport for prostitution.
Prosecutors assert he is “unrepentant” and contended that the rapper should serve a minimum of 11 years in prison.
“The defendant seeks to portray decades of abuse as merely the result of mutually toxic relationships,” prosecutors stated in a filing on September 29. “However, there is nothing mutual about a relationship where one party possesses all the control while the other party ends up injured and traumatized.”
