BOSTON — Margo Lindauer watched the federal trial of hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs closely. She was disappointed when jurors returned a not guilty verdict on the most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, even though Combs was convicted on lesser prostitution-related charges.
“I am not surprised,” Lindauer told Boston 25 News. “It is extremely hard in our judicial system to prove coercion and prove cases of sexual assault.”
Lindauer, a Boston-area attorney and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, called Wednesday’s verdict “troubling.”
“The jury saw the video of Cassie Ventura being abused. There’s no dispute it happened,” Lindauer said. “[But] I think what the jury was tasked with finding was not abuse.”
Prosecutors alleged Combs used his money, power, and physical force to manipulate his girlfriends into hundreds of drug-fueled sex marathons with male escorts. Combs would fly the escorts in from around the country and pay them to participate.
Two of Combs’ former girlfriends testified against him, including Cassie Ventura, who came forward publicly. Ventura said Combs became obsessed with voyeuristic encounters, arranged with the help of his staff, that involved sex workers. She told jurors Combs would order her to do things with other men that she found humiliating, and that he would beat her if she did not comply.
Another ex-girlfriend, testifying under the pseudonym “Jane,” said she repeatedly told Combs she did not want to have sex with the men hired for their trysts. But she said she felt “obligated” to comply with his demands, in part because he paid her rent.
Combs’ defense attorneys maintained the encounters were all consensual.
Jurors ultimately convicted Combs on two felony charges related to prostitution but cleared him of the charges of sex trafficking and racketeering – the latter of which could have resulted in a life sentence. The prostitution-related charges each carry up to 10 years in prison, though it’s expected Combs will face less time.
“I think the jury got it wrong in this case,” Lindauer said of the not guilty verdicts. “This sends the message that men, particularly in power, can get away with some very serious and very problematic behavior.”
Outside of the courthouse, Lindauer also noticed the regular flock of online content creators and social media influencers providing reaction to daily courtroom updates. She found it very similar to the interest in the recent Karen Read trials.
“We saw with the Karen Read case… content creators and influencers and supporters really advocating on behalf of the defendant,” Lindauer said. “We also saw something similar with the Diddy case. I wonder how this is going to play into the future of prosecutions and advocacies from a legal perspective.”
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