Diddy’s lawyers files notice of appeal for conviction and sentencing

Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to appeal his conviction and prison sentence.

The 55-year-old American rapper is facing 50 months in prison for two charges of transportation for the purposes of prostitution, having been acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Two weeks after sentencing, his legal team has submitted a two-page “notice of appeal” form to the Federal District Court in New York, with further details of the appeal to be filed with the court at a later date.

Combs was found guilty in July, and after sentencing his lawyer Marc Agnifilo accused Judge Arun Subramanian of having “second guessed” the jury.

“What we feel happened today was that the judge acted as a 13th juror, and that he second guessed the jury,” Agnifilo told reporters.

“We think that’s just absolutely inconsistent with the jury’s verdict.

“The jury’s verdict was resoundingly clear. There was no s£x trafficking, there was no racketeering, everything was consensual, everything was adult, which is why he was convicted only of the pr0stitution offence.”

Agnifilo had previously praised the judge’s conduct following the conclusion of his famous client’s trial.

“I think Judge Subramanian is a very fair judge, and he worked remarkably hard to give us as fair a trial as possible,” he told Variety at the time.

“This trial wasn’t perfect, because none is. But the judge did an outstanding job in being thoughtful, being careful, giving a lot of time to the parties. I can’t say enough good things about our judge. He’s a terrific person. And while no trial is perfect, just like no lawyer is perfect, I thought this one was pretty close.”

The defence team had sought a 14-month prison sentence while prosecutors wanted him to be jailed for 11 years.

Handing down the sentence, the judge told the disgraced rapper it will be “hard time in prison” away from his family but he will still “have a life afterwards”.

Diddy was also fined $500,000 and the judge paid tribute to the star’s former partner Cassie Ventura and “the other brave survivors who came forward”.

The judge also told the rapper there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for both him and his family, even though he acknowledged the Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down hitmaker was in a “dark place” at the moment.

Diddy had described his behaviour as “disgusting, shameful and sick” as he addressed the court before being handed his jail sentence.

“I was sick, sick from the drugs. I was out of control, I needed help and I didn’t get the help and I cannot make no excuse because my mother taught me,” he said.

Turning to his mother Janice in the gallery, Diddy said: “I failed you as a son, and I’m sorry.”