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Lisa Bloom has seen a lot in her decades as a legal powerhouse, but when the jury found Sean “Diddy” Combs not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering, she says it hit like 1995 all over again. “This is the most disappointing verdict for victims since O.J.,” Bloom told TMZ, reflecting on what she sees as a miscarriage of justice in one of the highest-profile trials of the year.
The prosecution brought forward 34 witnesses to paint a picture of manipulation, control, and repeated abuse. They leaned on expert testimony from Dr. Dawn Hughes, who explained why many women stay in abusive situations. But the jury wasn’t fully convinced. While Diddy was found guilty of one prostitution-related charge, the panel cleared him on the most serious counts.
What bothered Bloom most was the video of Diddy attacking Cassie Ventura. The footage showed him grabbing and dragging her across a hallway floor. “It’s hard to see a man caught on video doing that and only be convicted of prostitution,” she said. Bloom believes the jury got distracted by text messages between Cassie and Jane Doe, which the defense highlighted to suggest consent. But Bloom emphasized that victims often say what their abuser wants to hear to avoid further harm. And with Diddy being a major celebrity in New York, Bloom feels that star power might have tipped the scale.
Bail denied and civil suit still coming
Shortly after the verdict, Diddy’s legal team made an aggressive push for bail. They offered a $1 million bond, promised drug testing, limited travel between four states, and agreed to surrender his passport. It wasn’t enough. Judge Arun Subramanian denied the request. Diddy reportedly stood frozen, mouth open, as the decision came down.
He remains behind bars at MDC Brooklyn, where he has been held since his arrest in September. Sources say he’s requested to speak directly with the judge about the bail denial.
Meanwhile, Bloom and her client Dawn Richard are far from finished. The civil lawsuit against Diddy continues. Bloom says this verdict may have been a setback, but it’s not the end. “Victims need to keep going,” she said. “We have to keep fighting people who abuse their power.”
