Dramatic moment Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate

Twelve New York jurors gathered round 10:00 (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday in a wood-panelled courtroom to inform Sean “Diddy” Combs that they discovered him not responsible of working a felony enterprise with staff, and intercourse trafficking his ex-girlfriends.

The disgraced hip-hop mogul fell to his knees and buried his head in a chair on the defence desk the place he had simply spent two months on trial for intercourse trafficking and racketeering.

Earlier than the decision got here down, Combs sat quietly in his chair, wanting ahead, sporting the identical off-white sweater and pants he wore for a lot of his trial.

The courtroom grew quiet because the jury foreperson handed the decision sheet to the courtroom deputy. Then it was handed again to the foreperson.

They usually started to learn.

Because the sound of the “not responsible” rung out in courtroom for the primary time, acquitting Combs of essentially the most extreme crime of racketeering, the rapper stored his head low.

By the point the foreperson introduced Combs was not responsible of intercourse trafficking, Combs had his head in his fingers.

The jury did discover him responsible on the least extreme costs of transporting folks to have interaction in prostitution. As they confirmed their choice, Combs buried his face in his fingers.

A flurry of small celebrations adopted for Combs, who has been in a federal jail in Brooklyn since September. He made a prayer signal along with his fingers to the jury, then circled and made the identical gesture to his household – twin daughters, sons and 85-year-old mom.

He appeared to mouth: “I am coming house.”

The second appeared equally emotional for Combs’ many attorneys, together with Teny Geragos, seated subsequent to him and wiping away tears with a tissue after the decision was learn.

Combs’ attorneys wasted no time in telling the choose that the decision, reached after roughly two days of deliberations, meant Combs ought to be capable of stroll out of the Manhattan courthouse a free man that very day.

His acquittal on essentially the most critical costs meant he now not wanted to be jailed, his legal professional Marc Agnifilo instructed the courtroom, noting that his shopper’s aircraft was inaccessible – chartered and in Maui.

“Mr Combs has been given his life by this jury,” he stated. “He is not going to run afoul of something this courtroom imposes on him.”

Then, within the maybe essentially the most emotional gesture of the day for Combs, he appeared to precise his gratitude by urgent his head into his chair on the defence desk.

He rose, clapping his fingers loudly, to hug a number of of his attorneys. Many relations and supporters in the primary courtroom and a packed overflow room joined him, cheering.

Then, with one remaining hug to his lawyer and a wave to his household – blocked by a mass of individuals and courtroom benches – he was escorted out of the courtroom.

The hip-hop mogul’s homecoming hopes had been later dashed as Decide Arun Subramanian denied him bail at one other listening to on Wednesday afternoon.

Outdoors the Manhattan courtroom, there have been repeated calls of “free Diddy” in a big crowd behind obstacles.

However he’ll stay behind bars till his sentencing later this 12 months.