KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The latest appeal from Sean “Diddy” Combs is not aimed at prosecutors, but at the judge who sentenced him.
- In newly filed court papers, Combs’ legal team accuses the trial judge of acting like a juror rather than an impartial arbiter.
- At the center of the dispute is whether a judge can rely on acquitted conduct to impose a lengthy federal sentence.
A new appellate filing claims the sentencing judge punished conduct a jury explicitly rejected, raising constitutional questions about judicial limits after acquittal.
[USA HERALD] – According to newly filed appellate court records, attorneys for Sean Combs, are asking a federal appeals court to overturn his conviction or significantly reduce his sentence, arguing that the presiding judge crossed a constitutional line at sentencing.
The appeal, filed late Tuesday, takes direct aim at Arun Subramanian, the federal judge who imposed a 50-month prison sentence following Combs’ conviction on two counts related to violations of the Mann Act. Those convictions involved transporting individuals across state lines for the purpose of prostitution.
Publicly available filings show that Combs was acquitted by a jury on far more serious allegations, including racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Despite those acquittals, his lead appellate attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, argues that Judge Subramanian improperly relied on conduct tied to those rejected counts when determining Combs’ sentence.
In the appellate brief, Shapiro characterizes the sentence as “draconian” and asserts that the judge acted as a “thirteenth juror” by effectively re-weighing evidence that the jury had already rejected. According to the filing, the judge stated during sentencing that he could consider Combs’ alleged conduct related to the acquitted charges, a position the defense argues violates core constitutional protections.
The appeal maintains that under longstanding principles of due process and the Sixth Amendment, punishment must be tethered to conduct proven beyond a reasonable doubt. By relying on allegations tied to acquitted charges, Combs’ attorneys contend the court undermined the jury’s verdict and punished him for crimes he was found not guilty of committing.
The defense further argues that Combs’ sentence should be based solely on the two Mann Act counts for which he was convicted, not on broader allegations involving violence or coercion. In earlier appellate filings, Combs’ legal team also challenged whether the government adequately proved that he personally arranged or financed the interstate travel at issue, a key element of the Mann Act offenses.
Federal prosecutors have not yet responded to the latest filing. According to court scheduling orders, the government has several weeks remaining to submit its opposition before the case is formally taken up by the appellate panel.
The dispute highlights a long-running and controversial feature of federal sentencing law: the use of acquitted conduct. While federal judges have historically been permitted to consider a broad range of information at sentencing, including conduct not resulting in conviction, that practice has drawn increasing scrutiny from courts, lawmakers, and legal scholars.
Critics argue that allowing judges to rely on acquitted conduct effectively nullifies the jury’s role and erodes public confidence in the justice system. Supporters counter that sentencing has always involved a holistic assessment of behavior and risk. The Combs appeal places that debate squarely back before the federal courts, with potentially significant implications for how sentences are calculated in high-profile and ordinary cases alike.
As the appellate process moves forward, the case will test not only the limits of judicial discretion, but also the enduring tension between jury verdicts and sentencing authority. The outcome could shape how federal courts nationwide handle acquitted conduct for years to come.
***
USA Herald continues to provide independent, in-depth reporting and analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Readers who want access to exclusive insights, developing investigations, and original reporting are encouraged to join the USA Herald newsletter. Signing up takes just a moment and helps support ethical, transparent journalism.
