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Courtroom sketch

A quarter year earlier, Sean "Diddy" Combs dropped to the ground in a Manhattan courtroom after a panel cleared him of charges related to trafficking and racketeering.

"I'm coming home," he said, rotating to see his relatives, who had supported him every day the trial.

During Friday's session, a subdued version of the hip-hop mogul sat emotionless and still in his position, as the judge sentenced him to over four years in prison.

Following the judicial pronouncement of his ruling, the entertainer turned around to look at his family and seemed to whisper the words: "I love you, I'm sorry."

It was a quiet moment to signify the conclusion of a chaotic eight-week trial that permanently changed the general view of Combs - once one of the world's most famous rappers.

Trial Exhibits

The jury saw explicit footage of Combs' so-called "freak offs" - sex parties he had filmed featuring hired male escorts and his ex-girlfriend Cassandra Ventura and "Jane", an unidentified complainant.

Additionally they viewed a video, that had previously gone viral, of him striking Ventura in a hotel hallway.

Judicial Findings

During July, a jury of twelve citizens found the 55-year-old not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering charges - which carried the potential of life in prison - but found him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.

• What crimes was Sean 'Diddy' Combs determined responsible for?
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Family members arriving for sentencing

This past Friday, the judge informed a dejected Combs that his crimes and abuse of his past romantic interests warranted 50 months in incarceration.

During his address to the court that Combs had used his fame and power to "control" his accusers, the entertainment tycoon failed to raise his eyes, maintaining a blank demeanor for the judge's 20-minute speech.

His contingent of more than three dozen loved ones were gathered in the judicial chamber following him.

Judicial Contentions

His lawyers anticipated he would be released from incarceration in a short period, petitioning the judge for a one-year-and-two-month judgment, thirteen of those he had previously completed.

Prosecutors had accused Combs of running a criminal enterprise to coerce women into non-consensual and substance-enhanced sexual activities.

Although he had been acquitted of those gravest allegations, prostitution trafficking and racketeering, they had sought a judgment of over 11 years in prison.

Courtroom Proceedings

During the all-day hearing, the court listened to hours of speeches from numerous lawyers, his children, a pastor and a legal system improvement proponent who stated to the tribunal that Combs was a transformed and clean individual since detention.

Furthermore they observed a video compilation from his attorneys showing him with his children as well as the funeral of his former girlfriend Kim Porter, the parent of several offspring who deceased three years prior.

Complainant Consequences

But the court did not hear from the complainants directly, after one person who planned to speak, Mia, a former assistant of Combs who provided testimony incognito, pulled out after the defence wrote a letter labeling her dishonest.

Subramanian thanked the "strong women" who had the courage to come forward with the allegations against Combs, telling them they weren't "just speaking 12 men and women in the jury box".

Rather than individual accounts on Friday, Subramanian read several of the victims' remarks from evidence, telling Combs: "These were serious offences that permanently damaged two women."

Defendant's Statement

The accused directly presented to the judicial body primarily following the commencement of his case.

Breathing a large sigh ahead of getting up to present his address, he implored the court for "leniency".

He reviewed utilizing eyewear from a sheet positioned ahead, seeking to preserve direct gaze with the court official during his statement: "I have only myself to hold responsible."

He began crying as he rotated to look at his family and tell his mother: "I failed you as a son."

Relative Statements

The moment represented another instance crying occurred during the session.

Many of Combs' supporters cried as six of his seven children came to the platform to petition the court for a lenient judgment, telling him they needed their father.

The trio of daughters and trio of sons clustered closely with embraced arms as numerous teared up while addressing the judge.

Judgment Reasoning

The magistrate stated during judgment that he had factored in Combs' family ties, but mentioned he needed to include the injury he had created to his pair of complainants.

The crimes were serious, he added, observing they occurred despite a federal investigation and the leak of a video depicting him assaulting Ventura in the passageway of accommodation facility.

"A background of beneficial actions won't eliminate your history," he said.

Closing Statements

Yet, he addressed a disheartened Combs, who multiple times lifted his head and breathed deeply, there was light at the end of his jail sentence.

"Mr Combs, you and your family, you are going to survive this," he affirmed.

After the magistrate completed his address, Combs gave a quick nod to his dozens of family members and friends, before slipping quietly back through the door to be returned to a government detention facility in Brooklyn.