“Danger to the victims who testified”: Cassie’s attorney warns that Combs is a risk to testifying victims

The verdict for the P. Diddy case was announced on Wednesday, 2 July, wherein the rap mogul was acquitted of his sex trafficking and racketeering charges and was instead convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

This caused a major blow to the prosecutors, as he escaped a lot of the serious charges against him, making it more or less a win for the rapper after a seven-week trial.

And people have not been shy of making these thoughts known.

Elie Honig, senior CNN legal analyst and former assistant US attorney of SDNY, said of his verdict,

"He has defeated the Southern District of New York, which, I worked there, they don’t like losing in court. They don’t lose in court a lot. And there’s no way to spin this. This is a devastating setback for the SDNY.”

While Dream Hampton, executive producer of “Surviving R. Kelly,” told CNN’s Laura Coates outside the courthouse,

“My heart, in this moment, is going out to Cassie. I can’t imagine what she’s feeling, you know. This was a woman who could have had a career. You know, and some of the testimony that she gave near the end about being 10 years into this relationship with Puff and still wanting to go to the studio but feeling like her job was to do the sex work,”

She further added, “And I’m afraid that with, you know, Puff walking from the more serious charges that he’s, not only him, the whole entire discourse, I just wonder what we’re going to learn from this. I wonder when it will end. I wonder when we’ll cease to look at women as disposable and as property. I wonder when these men will cease to tell themselves these stories. I mean, his defense — the closing arguments by his attorney were absurd, that this was like a Bonnie and Clyde love affair. No, it wasn’t. You’re talking about someone who endured a decade of abuse.”

Cassie’s Attorney speaks up about the verdict

Cassie Ventura's Attorney, Douglas Wigdor, also shared his thoughts with CNN on how this verdict would affect the future and the diminishing of Cassie's case.

"Calling those sorts of behaviors as a modern-day relationship, you know, saying that she enjoyed sex, you know, saying she was a gangster, things like that — I don’t think that even with the jury verdict that they would have given that any credit.”

“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023. Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution,” Wigdor said."

He expressed the impact her case had, “By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”

Not only that, Wigdor also expressed the danger Diddy can pose after his verdict. In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Doug asked the judge to deny the defense’s request that Combs be released from custody while he awaits his sentencing, as the rapper poses a threat to all those who testified against him.

“Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community.”

Will Diddy remain in Jail?

Each count of Combs' conviction for transportation with intent to engage in prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, meaning he could face up to 20 years behind bars. However, the final sentencing will ultimately be determined by the court.

Following the split verdict that spared Combs a potential life sentence, his family appeared visibly relieved. Outside the courthouse, his mother, Janice Combs, greeted the press with a wave and a cheerful thumbs up, while his children smiled broadly, celebrating the outcome alongside her.

As of now, Diddy's defense team has submitted a letter to the judge asking that he be released on a $1 million bond, which was co-signed by Combs, his mother, sister, and the mother of his oldest daughter. Along with that, the conditions included drug testing by pretrial services, surrender of his passport, and more. His bail hearing is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.

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