NEWS
Fans and supporters of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs have celebrated his recent acquittal of sex trafficking charges by dousing themselves in baby oil outside of a New York courthouse.
Yesterday, a jury reached a verdict for the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs – finding him guilty of transportation for prostitution, but innocent of racketeering and sex trafficking.
The rapper and music mogul pleaded not guilty to all five charges – including one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of transportation for prostitution and two counts of sex trafficking.
Following the jury’s verdict, fans of the rapper and mogul who were outside of the courthouse, erupted into cheers and celebration, including several of them pouring baby oil onto their bodies. Signs and merchandise with the words “A freako, not a R.I.C.O” were also visible.
Fans’ use of baby oil was a reference to the thousands of baby oil bottles that were seized by authorities from Diddy’s Los Angeles and Miami homes in the lead-up to the trial. The baby oil played a major role in the case, as prosecution and witnesses detailed its use during Diddy’s infamous “freak offs”.
Clips shared on social media see a group of fans outside the courthouse pouring baby oil on themselves and others as they celebrated the verdict.
The trial has been running since May, and the vast majority of the court time has been centred around the prosecution’s case. On the charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking of Cassie Venture, and sex trafficking of a woman going by the name “Jane”, Diddy was found not guilty.
He was found guilty, however, of transportation for prostitution of Ventura and others, and of transportation for prostitution of “Jane” and others. The transportation to engage in prostitution charge carries the least time in prison compared to what he could have been served, and the maximum amount of time he now faces in jail is 10 years for each charge.
After the verdict was shared, Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo, argued that the hip-hop mogul should walk out of the court as a free man following months of being in a federal jail. He also suggested that Diddy being acquitted on the most serious charges means that he should be allowed to be released and be able to live in his Florida home on a $1million (£734,700) bond.
The rapper has since been denied bail, and will remain in jail until his sentencing. The trial’s judge has suggested the sentencing take place on October 3, but will consider an earlier date per Reuters.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
NEWS
Oliver Tree’s team has provided a new update following the singer’s death in a helicopter crash on June 14, confirming that a new artist grant will soon be established in his memory to help creatives secure funding, a plan he had detailed in his will before his passing.
Accompanying a collection of photos highlighting Tree’s performances, travels and creative work through the years, a post shared Sunday (June 21) on his Instagram account revealed that the musician’s remains have been brought back to California, the state he called home and where he will be laid to rest. “His legacy will live on through his foundation/endowment named ‘Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses’ coming soon,” the caption reads. “This is something that Oliver had put together before his passing.”
“We will make sure his wish comes to fruition so that more joy, love and art can be spread into the world, that was his final wish,” the statement continued, adding that “the constant love, support and positivity” shown by fans throughout the past week has helped his “family, friends and collaborators make it through these extremely difficult times.”
Tree was among six people who lost their lives in a helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro. The musician was in Brazil for his The World’s First Tour run and had performed what would ultimately be his final concert on June 6 in São Paulo. The other victims of the crash were identified as passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim and Lucas Brito Chaves, along with pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Just months before his death, Tree discussed his plans to direct his fortune and future earnings from his music toward a grant program for artists during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show. “I take no credit for anything I’ve ever done,” he said during the April interview. “Furthermore, I don’t believe that any of the wealth or things that get made from it is mine. So when I die … my will is set up so that when I pass, my family, nobody is going to get a penny.”
“If I have a wife or kids or anything, they’re not getting a penny,” he added at the time, explaining that the initiative would focus on helping artists create work rather than funding education. “I’ll get my kids through college, that’s the agreement, but there’s not gonna be a silver spoon. All the money is going to go back to artists.”
