Embattled American singer and business mogul, Sean “Diddy” Combs, on Thursday rejected an offer from the United States government to plead guilty.
P. Diddy, as he is popularly known, could have spared himself the possibility of a prolonged prison sentence had he accepted the plea deal.
However, when Judge Arun Subramanian asked if he was rejecting the federal prosecutors’ offer, he responded: “Yes, I do, Your Honour.”
Combs is scheduled to stand trial beginning Monday, with jury selection set to commence. He faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution, which allege that he coerced women into prolonged sexual encounters he reportedly referred to as “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.
“We’re concerned with her behaviour here,” Geragos said.
Judge Subramanian responded that he would remind “all counsel” and witnesses to observe the rules of professional conduct and court protocols concerning potentially prejudicial public statements that could affect Combs’ right to a fair trial.