Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team is reportedly exploring the possibility of a presidential pardon in the wake of his recent conviction. Nicole Westmoreland, a key member of Combs’ defense team, revealed in an exclusive interview with CNN that outreach has already been made to the Trump administration. “It’s my understanding that we’ve reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon,” Westmoreland said.
Former President Donald Trump, however, appears hesitant to get involved. In a recent Newsmax interview, Trump said he once got along well with Combs but noted that the hip-hop mogul was “very hostile” toward him during his presidency. “That makes it more difficult to do,” Trump said, when asked directly about the possibility of granting a pardon.
Despite Trump’s remarks, Westmoreland says Combs remains optimistic. “He is a very hopeful person, and I believe that he remains hopeful,” she said. A White House official declined to comment when asked by CNN whether a clemency request has formally been filed. For now, Combs’ legal fate is still uncertain as he awaits sentencing later this year.
In July, a federal jury found Combs guilty on two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted on more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy (RICO), which could have resulted in a life sentence. Instead, he now faces a maximum of 20 years. Prosecutors have not disclosed their recommended sentence yet, but court filings suggest it could exceed the initial estimate of 4 to 5 years.
Throughout the trial, Combs’ defense team pushed back against the prosecution’s portrayal of him as the leader of a criminal enterprise. Westmoreland said their strategy was simple: tell the truth. “We knew that he had not sex trafficked anyone and we knew that RICO was absurd,” she said. She also criticized the government’s handling of the case, calling it flawed from the start. “Mr. Combs was painted like a monster,” she added. “There were a lot of allegations made before trial, and I would imagine that anyone would want to clear their name.”
Source: CNN.com
Image: BusinessInsider.com
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