Lauren Conlin thinks Diddy will be found guilty of trafficking Cassie and violating the Mann Act which would lead to life in prison for the rapper
On Tuesday, July 1, Lauren Conlin, the New York City-based reporter and podcaster, tweeted pictures of the official verdict sheet in Diddy's trial.
The verdict sheet, which the jury will fill out after their ongoing deliberation, will ultimately decide if the Bad Boy Records owner is found guilty or not. Combs will also receive his final sentencing based on the sheet.
In her tweet, Conlin appeared to believe that the likelihood of the jury giving Diddy a guilty verdict was higher than the rapper being found not guilty.
Per the podcaster, Combs was expected to be found guilty on charges of trafficking Cassie Ventura and violating the Mann Act, both of which fell under RICO, making him guilty of RICO charges automatically.
For the unversed, the Cornell Law School defines the Mann Act as a federal law that declares the transportation of "any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or any other immoral purpose" as a criminal offense.
It was passed in June 1910 and was mainly aimed at human trafficking, immorality, and prostitution.
The jury deliberation in Diddy's sex trafficking trial began on Monday
Diddy's sex trafficking trial is now close to its conclusion, with both the prosecution and the defense having delivered their closing arguments to the judge and the jury last week.
On Monday (June 30), as Judge Arun Subramanian took the bench in the Manhattan federal court, he addressed the main jury panel, walking them through the five criminal counts that Diddy was accused of in the prosecution's indictment. The following are the charges Judge Subramanian shared with the jury:
- Count 1 - Racketeering conspiracy charges, including acts of kidnapping, arson, bribery, forced labor, sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute them.
- Count 2 - sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura roughly between 2009 and 2018
- Count 3 - transportation of Ventura and commercial sex workers across state lines around 2009-2018
- Count 4 - sex trafficking of "Jane" between 2021 and 2024
- Count 5 - transportation of "Jane" and commercial sex workers across state lines between 2021 and 2024
The jury was asked to pick a foreperson and began their deliberation. After more than 6 hours, they informed the judge they were pausing for the day and would return at 9 AM on Tuesday, July 1.
Meanwhile, Diddy, who has pleaded not guilty to the five charges, was seen holding hands with his family in what looked like a prayer. He then held up two books to the public: The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor.
Combs has been taken back to his holding cell in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), where he will await the jury's final verdict.
