The oral argument-centered hearing centered around Sean “Diddy” Combs’ appeal attempt has come and gone. During that hearing, Combs’ lawyers argued for his sentence to be overturned due to not being comparable to the offenses he was convicted of. Still, prosecutors stood firm in their position that Judge Arun Subramanian’s sentencing was correct. A decision has not been made either way but, in the meantime, a lawyer is sharing their take on why Diddy’s prison sentence does not seem fitting.
For context, the main crux of Team Combs’ argument is that the 56-year-old rapper’s four-year (or 50 month) sentence is the result of Judge Subramanian having upped the punishment using rejected claims. Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted of sex-trafficking and racketeering charges. Essentially, Combs’ attorneys now feel the rationale of the judge – who they’ve dubbed a "thirteenth juror” – is influenced by sex-related accusations against Combs.
Lawyer Alexandra Kazarian spoke about all of this during a recent appearance on NewsNation. Kazarian – who previously worked with one of Diddy’s former attorneys, Mark Geragos – was specifically asked if she believed Combs’ punishment didn’t fit his crimes. She ultimately agreed with that assessment and explained her reasoning:
When you come down to it, the additional information that the judge was considering at sentencing, which Diddy was acquitted of, had nothing to do with the charges that he was actually convicted of and that the judge should’ve been considering during sentencing. They are absolutely different. They were not related at all and, although the law does allow judges to bring them in in certain circumstances during the trial, once a jury has decided that they have acquitted the defendant of these charges, it is absurd for a judge to be able to use it to sentence him to a harsher penalty for a crime that has nothing to do with those allegations.
The prostitution-related offenses Combs has been convicted of fall under the Mann Act, and his lawyers argue that his sentence is roughly four times larger than the usual punishment for such crimes. On that note, Kazarian also shared the following thoughts on whether the “Been Around the World” rapper would exit prison early:
I think so. I think that if the appellate judges decide that it was inappropriate for the judge to enhance his sentence, then yes. If they bring it down, Diddy could be out and, frankly, I think he should be.
Ahead of Diddy’s trial, which began in May 2025, much was said about his Freak-Offs, parties for which women were coerced or hired and weighed before performing sex acts for guests. Those sexual encounters were also recorded in several cases, and that detail now factors into the case being made by the Grammy winner’s lawyers. They argue that because of Combs’ penchant for voyeurism (or observing sexual acts) and taping his parties, he’s merely engaged in amateur photography and is protected by the First Amendment.
Sean Combs’ legal team currently views his prison sentence (which he’s serving at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey) as a “perversion of justice,” and they’re seeking his immediate release. Those legal requests coincide with concerns from some of Combs’ former associates (and alleged worries from neighbors) in regard to him being released from prison early. As it stands, though, both the attorneys and the prosecutors must wait for a verdict from the panel of judges before anything progresses with Diddy.
