Sex trafficking: P. Diddy turns down US guilty plea agreement proposal

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the American singer and business mogul facing challenges, turned down a plea deal from the U.S. government on Thursday.

Had he accepted the plea deal, P. Diddy (as he is popularly known) could have spared himself the possibility of a prolonged prison sentence.

When Judge Arun Subramanian inquired if he was turning down the federal prosecutors’ offer, his response was, “Yes, I do, Your Honour.”

Beginning Monday, Combs is set to go to trial, with jury selection scheduled to start. He is charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution for allegedly coercing women into extended sexual encounters he reportedly called “freak-offs.”

Maurene Comey, an Assistant US Attorney, stated that a guilty plea would have significantly reduced the prison time Combs might face. A conviction on all counts at trial could result in what is effectively a life sentence.

Combs appeared in court wearing a beige jail uniform. He smiled, hugged his legal team, and exchanged a fist bump with one of his lawyers, Teny Geragos.

Geragos raised concerns during the brief conference regarding public statements made by Los Angeles-based attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents at least two of Combs’ civil accusers, in a documentary.

Geragos stated, “Our concern is her behaviour in this context.”

Judge Subramanian replied that he would remind “all counsel” and witnesses to adhere to the rules of professional conduct and court protocols regarding potentially prejudicial public statements that could impact Combs’ right to a fair trial.