Diddy is using a new strategy to counter prosecutors' opposition to his acquittal of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. In a recent filing obtained by TMZ, he argued that the definition of prostitution was different in 1910, when the Mann Act first became federal law. His lawyers write that, at the time, "a prostitute was a woman who had sex outside marriage."
Diddy further argued that prosecutors failed to prove he hired the male escorts in question to have sex with his girlfriends. Instead, he proposed that he simply paid them for their time. In turn, Diddy wants either an acquittal or a new trial entirely.
His filing comes after prosecutors argued against his acquittal proposal in a recent filing of their own. They labeled the proof of his guilt "overwhelming." “At trial, there was ample evidence to support the jury’s convictions,” prosecutors said, as caught by The Associated Press.“
When Is Diddy's Sentencing?
They continued: "During these relationships, he asserted substantial control over Ventura and Jane’s lives. Specifically, he controlled and threatened Ventura’s career, controlled her appearance, and paid for most of her living expenses, taking away physical items when she did not do what he wanted. The defendant similarly paid Jane’s US $10,000 rent and threatened her that he would stop paying her rent if she did not comply with his demands."
While the jury in Diddy's recent criminal trial found him guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, they also found him not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering. He will return to the courtroom on October 3. Although he faces up to 20 years in prison, the prosecution has only recommended a 4-year sentence.
