Diddy's Conviction Likely to Be Reversed, Legal Expert Says, Citing 'Anachronistic' Law and Strong Grounds for Appeal

Sean "Diddy" Combs could ultimately see his remaining convictions overturned, according to legal experts who believe the charges that stuck are built on outdated legal ground.

Though Combs, 55, was found not guilty on high-profile counts of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, a federal jury convicted him of transporting two women across state lines for the purpose of prostitution, charges rooted in the century-old Mann Act, a statute originally designed to combat "white-slavery."

Now, prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz, who is renowned for defending O.J. Simpson, contends those convictions will face significant challenges on appeal.

"The charges that he's been convicted of will probably be reversed on appeal," Dershowitz told Daily Mail.

The lawyer dismissed the Mann Act violations as relics of another era, elaborating, "What he has been found guilty of is based on an anachronistic statute – it's not a real crime."

He called the Mann Act charges outdated, saying the law Combs was convicted under is "not a real crime" and stems from an old, out-of-touch statute.

The Mann Act, created in 1910, prohibited transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution or "immoral purposes."

However, as historians and legal scholars later acknowledged, the vague law lent itself to targeting interracial romance, especially when it involved Black men.

One of the most shameful miscarriages of justice was the highly publicized 1913 prosecution of boxer Jack Johnson.

Over a century later, his name was cleared by President Trump, a long overdue act of contrition for how the legal system was leveraged as a tool of prejudice.

Dershowitz described the use of the law in Combs's case as "weak," predicting, "It will be reversed on appeal and Combs will walk free. This is really a big victory for him after all this."

Prosecutorial Misstep?

David Gelman, a former state prosecutor who previously predicted the outcome of the case, agreed that the remaining convictions stem from a prosecutorial compromise. "It's been my experience in all the jury trials I've had that juries will try to give something to everyone," he said, suggesting that the two convictions served as a token win for the government in an otherwise failed effort.

"There was enough evidence to give the government this rinky dink prostitution charge," Gelman said. "These aren't serious charges – normally you could just get probation."

Though Combs faces up to 20 years in prison, Gelman expects far less time when Judge Arun Subramanian issues sentencing. "He could give probation, and I wouldn't be surprised," he added.

The jury rejected more serious allegations involving Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and another woman identified only as Jane. Their sex trafficking claims, according to Gelman, were undermined by evidence of consent. "She bought plane tickets and booked hotels. She was a willing participant," he said of Ventura.

As for the racketeering charge, Gelman said the government overreached. "It's only really brought in mafia cases," he said, adding that prosecutors failed to present key witnesses, such as former employees, to establish Bad Boy Records as a criminal enterprise.

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Diddy, Diddy Trial, Sean Combs