Prosecutors Slam Sean Combs for the 'Height of Hubris'

Sean "Diddy" Combs arrived in a federal courtroom in Manhattan on Friday morning to learn his fate. The hip-hop mogul, who has been in custody since his arrest in September last year could face up to 11 years when he is sentenced on two counts of a prostitution-related offense.

• Prosecutors revealed that Combs has already booked speaking engagements for next week, the New York Post reports. "Even now, at sentencing for his conviction for two federal crimes," said federal prosecutor Mary Slavik, "he doesn't fully grapple with how his actions got him here." She said Combs' respect for the law is just "lip service." "He has booked speaking engagements in Miami for next week. That is the height of hubris, your honor," Slavik told Judge Arun Subramanian.

• In her opening argument, Slavik described Combs as a "man who did horrible things to real people to satisfy his own sexual gratification," the AP reports. Slavik said the prosecution's recommended sentence, 11 years and 3 months "reflects the conduct appropriately, is consistent with other similarly situated defendants and fully respects the jury's verdict." Defense lawyers argue that he should receive no more than 14 months, including time served, CNN reports.
• Slavik said that even in his Thursday letter to the judge pleading for leniency, Combs' "remorse was qualified." She said that lines like "My domestic violence will always be a heavy burden that I will have to forever carry" show that the 55-year-old hasn't accepted responsibility and is framing it "like he's the victim in this scenario."
• Combs was cleared of two more serious charges, but Subramanian said prosecutors were free to cite "acquitted conduct" like violence and coercion, NBC News reports. "The court will be best to determine whether it qualifies as relevant conduct," he said. "We consider all the facts to impose the sentence, but not greater than necessary."
• Combs is expected to speak at the sentencing hearing. His defense team also plans to show an 11-minute video casting his life in a positive light. According to the AP, it includes "scenes of him playing with his children, running in the New York City Marathon and coaching youth football."