The courtroom battle that never seems to end. The federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs has just taken a significant turn, as the jury handed down its decision today. Though the Bad Boy Records honcho was acquitted on three of the five counts, including racketeering and two counts of sex trafficking, he was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution. Even as those with Diddy seemed elated at what they deemed a mixed victory, it was something less than sweet for people like Dawn Richard.
Dawn Richard, one of the women integral to the continuing case against Combs, conveyed her disappointment via her attorney, Lisa Bloom. “The criminal proceeding may have resulted in a split verdict, but the legal battle is not over,” Bloom’s news release said. “Today’s split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs. We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.”
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Richard’s attorney, Arick Fudali, a partner at Bloom Firm, also expressed disappointment with the verdict, adding that the legal fight was far from over and would likely move to the civil courts. The criminal and civil repercussions have been so divergent that some are left wondering what the long-term effect on the case will be, as victims and their lawyers vowed to press on.
The verdict was definitely mixed for Diddy, as he sighed with relief upon not being found guilty of the more substantial charges. The conviction on the transportation charges, however, presents a knotty angle to his continuing legal problems. If he barely dodged the harshest consequences, the legal ground remains fraught, and with the civil claims against him on the way, the balance of power is set to shift. Dawn Richard and her attorneys continue to stand firm and plan to move forward with their civil case, regardless of the outcome in the criminal case. The verdict does nothing more than reinvigorate their determination to get justice, and the war between Richard and Combs appears to be far from done, with fresh developaments expected to surface as both parties prepare themselves for their next round in court.
