Diddy is fighting his prison sentence once again, and this time his lawyers say the judge went way too far.
According to a new appeal filed Friday, Diddy’s legal team argues the 50-month prison term handed down after his federal trial is far too severe. They say the punishment does not reflect the charges he was actually convicted of.
The Bad Boy founder was acquitted last year of the most serious accusations in the case, including federal sex trafficking and RICO charges. However, a jury convicted him in July on two counts of transportation for the purpose of prostitution under the Mann Act.
Now his attorneys claim the judge relied on allegations the jury already rejected.
In the filing, Diddy’s lawyers called the sentence a “perversion of justice,” arguing the court punished him for conduct tied to charges he beat at trial.
They also say the judge relied on a controversial approach known as “acquitted conduct” sentencing. That practice allows courts to consider accusations tied to charges that did not lead to convictions, and critics across the legal field have questioned its fairness.
Because of that, Diddy’s legal team says the punishment stands far outside the normal range.
According to the appeal, the 50-month sentence is roughly four times higher than typical penalties tied to Mann Act convictions involving prostitution transportation.
The filing asks the appeals court to order Diddy’s “immediate release and grant a judgment of acquittal or at least vacate and remand for resentencing.”
Judge Arun Subramanian issued the sentence months after the two-month federal trial wrapped.
In the appeal, Diddy’s lawyers argue the judge essentially acted like a “thirteenth juror” when deciding the punishment.
Now the appeals court will decide whether the sentence stands or gets sent back for reconsideration.
