Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs acquitted of most serious counts

Happening now

• Mixed verdict: Jurors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial acquitted him of the most serious charges — racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking — but found him guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
• Sentencing outlook: Combs could get a prison sentence of up to 20 years — the maximum is 10 for each of the transportation counts. The defense has asked that Combs be released while he awaits sentencing; a bail hearing is set for 5 p.m. ET.
• Reactions: After the verdict, Combs faced the courtroom gallery and clapped. A lawyer for accuser Cassie Ventura said the verdict is not their desired outcome, but Ventura is grateful for the two convictions.

Courtroom sketches capture the moment Sean "Diddy" Combs heard the verdict

Courtroom sketches show the moment when Sean “Diddy” Combs found out that he was acquitted of the most serious charges against him.

Courtroom sketches on Wednesday, July 2 show the moment the verdict was read in court.

See how the scene unfolded:

Courtroom sketches on Wednesday, July 2 show Sean “Diddy” Combs as he hears the verdict in trial.

Combs on his knees following the verdict in his criminal trial. Chrisine Cornell

Combs on his knees on Wednesday following the verdict in his criminal trial.

Cassie Ventura believes Combs poses "a danger to the victims who testified," her lawyer tells the judge

Cassie Ventura’s lawyer Doug Wigdor just submitted a letter to judge Arun Subramanian deny the defense’s request that Sean “Diddy” Combs be released from custody while he awaits his sentencing.

Combs' defense asks for release on $1 million bond

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team has submitted to the judge its letter asking that Combs be released while awaiting sentencing, and proposing circumstances under which Combs would be released.

The letter proposes:

• A $1 million bond, co-signed by Combs, his mother, sister and the mother of his oldest daughter;
• Combs’ travel be restricted to parts of Florida, California, New York and New Jersey. (Combs has homes in Florida and California, and the latter two states would cover visits with attorneys and attendance in court);
• The surrender of Combs’ passport;
• Drug testing by pretrial services;
• “All other standard conditions of pretrial supervision.”

The letter says Sean Combs should be released because he faces a lighter sentence than if he had been found guilty of the more serious charges.

He was convicted of two counts related to prostitution, involving two victims. But his team says, based on U.S. sentencing guidelines, he may only get 21 to 27 months in prison.

Since he’s already spent 10 months in jail and isn’t likely to run away, they believe he should be released with conditions.

SOON: Judge expected to decide if Combs should be released while he awaits sentencing

judge Arun Subramanian will soon decide if Sean “Diddy” Combs can be released from jail while he waits for his sentence on two prostitution-related charges.

Combs’ lawyers said he should be let go since he was found not guilty of the more serious charges. They said he would return to his home in Miami and follow all court rules.

Prosecutors disagreed and don’t want him released.

The judge told both sides to send him letters by 1 p.m. ET and will decide after that.

Complex nature of Combs' relationships is likely what the jury "got hung up on," legal expert says

The case against Sean “Diddy” Combs was complicated, said former official Elliot Williams. He explained that the jury may have struggled to decide if there was a real criminal group involved for the racketeering charge.

He said putting all the charges under racketeering might have been too much, especially since the jury had to figure out if the acts were sexual assaults or just separate cases of prostitution.

For the sex trafficking charge, Williams said the issue of consent made things difficult. Some messages shown in court didn’t help the prosecution. These were messy and violent relationships, but still seemed to be consensual, and the jury may have been stuck on that.