Sean Combs guilty in two points – he still sees himself as the winner (video)

While Sean Combs went to his knees after the verdict and thanked the jury, supporters of the Metoo movement raged in anger. “This decision makes me angry,” wrote actress Rosie O’Donnell on Instagram.

In just two out of five charges, the jury owed the former rap superstar in court in New York-and these were the weakest accusations in connection with prostitution. The jury rejected the allegations of the conspiracy for organized crime and human trade.

This threatens the 55-year-old, who had used the pseudonymous “Puff Daddy”, “P. Diddy” and “Diddy” over the course of his career, no longer a lifelong prison sentence, but for a maximum of 20 years. Combs remains in prison after a decision by the court until the prison of punishment, which could possibly take place in October.

Observers rated the judgment as a best result for Combs – apart from a complete acquittal. The rapper, his lawyers and his family were relieved accordingly. The lawyer of the main burden of pollution Cassie Ventura praised his client. Ventura “proved exemplary courage throughout the entire process” and paved the way for numerous allegations against Combs and his misconduct, said Doug Wigdor.

“I believe you, Cassie,” wrote the singer Kesha, who also has already had a legal dispute for sex crimes against her former producer, at the online portal X. “I love you. Your strength is a beacon for everyone.”

She wrote actress O’Donnell that the jurors Ventura and another ex-girlfriend of Combs, who had also reported years of sexual abuse and violence in court, had obviously not believed. “I guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and compulsion, wow, you think that a woman remains why? Money? Fame?”.

The procedure aroused memories of similar processes for sex crimes against ex-superstars in recent years-among others against musician R. Kelly, comedian Bill Cosby or the producer Harvey Weinstein.

The allegations against Weinstein had initiated the worldwide metoo movement around eight years ago-on the judgment against Combs, which was married three times and has seven children,, in many observers, the extent of the headwind is now evident.

The movement opened the door of many victims of sexual abuse to proceed in court against the perpetrators-also Cassie Ventura, wrote the online magazine “Vox”. There were some at least temporary judicial successes – for example in the Weinstein or R. Kelly case.

In the meantime, however, the cultural energy of the movement has largely fizzled out that the victims are believed to be less believed again and instead of being complained. Ventura could have left Combs at any time, the defense argued – with success. Ventura had emphasized several times that she was afraid of Combs and his violence. But maybe the public prosecutor also got away by opening the mafia rating point of the conspiracy for organized crime?

“We still don’t know how we can use the laws to solve the problems that explode in our most intimate relationships,” commented the online magazine “Slate”. And the magazine “The Atlantic” predicted “.

Combs, against which there are still numerous civil lawsuits, apparently have “nine life”, wrote the “New York Times” – and even thinks a comeback from the rapper is possible. The Combs, born in the New York district of Harlem in 1969, was one of the most successful rappers in the world with hits like “I’ll Be Missing You” and “Bad Boy for Life” in the past decades and was also successful with his own music and fashion labels.

A comeback was actually considered completely excluded since his arrest. In addition to Combs’ family, only the controversial rapper Kanye West in the courtroom had shown his support for Combs from his once many prominent friends – but that could also change again, the “New York Times” suspected. “It could be that these accusations and this process one day are just a stain on his resume.”