P. Diddy Fires Off Big Message Before Heading to the Slammer

It is official. Shawn Diddy Combmes has. been sentenced in his federal criminal. case. We are going to discuss everything. that happened inside that courtroom, including the bombshell decision by the. judge. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by. Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. [Music]. Today was the day after two years from. when Cassie Ventura Fine filed her. lawsuit against Shawn Combmes after an. investigation after a raid after the.

Cassie tape was published by CNN after. an apology video after an arrest after. multiple indictments superseding. indictments after an 8-week trial over. the summer where Shawn Diddy Combmes was. acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and. sex trafficking but convicted of. transportation. to engage in. prostitution, namely transporting people. across state and international lines for. sex work. He was sentenced for his. crimes today. Judge Arun Subermanian in.

federal court in downtown lower. Manhattan sentenced the rap mogul. Just. handed down the sentence a few minutes. ago at the time of this recording. Now, to be clear why this is such a big deal, other than the fact that Shawn Combmes. has been sentenced for federal sex. crimes, we had no idea what the actual. sentence will be. There is no pro-forma. mandatory sentence here like a life in. prison. It's just a standard. We know. what's going to happen. No, there was a. range for this judge. The defense was.

asking for no more than 14 months in. prison. And since Shawn Combmes had. already served about 13 months in the. MDC, the Metropolitan Detention Center, he essentially would be out in no time. if that was the case. The prosecution. was asking for 11 years. The probation. department that did its own analysis. recommended 7 years and 3 months. There. was a range. We did not know what the. sentence would be. We are going to get. into everything that happened today, including what it was like in that.

courtroom when the sentence was handed. down. And to do that, I want to bring. back on Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth. Milner, long crime zone. She was inside. that courtroom, not only for today, for. every day of this trial. This is the. conclusion of quite a saga. Elizabeth, thank you so much for coming on. First, I want to start off. How did Shawn. Combmes look? Okay, that was a big. question. I know we have um courtroom. sketches that came out. How did he look?

How did he appear? What was his. demeanor? We'll talk about the statement. he made in court, but just how did he. look? >> Yeah. Well, Jesse, you can imagine how. big of today um actually was for Shawn. Combmes. I mean, he was going to be. learning his fate. And to your point in. your intro earlier, we didn't know where. that range would really lie. Could it be. on the tail end that being time served. and he could possibly leave walking out. of the doors? We didn't know if that was. going to happen. We didn't know if he. was possibly going to get double digits. sentenced. So, I think the weight of the. world you could kind of feel when he.

walked inside the courtroom today. He. was wearing um casual clothes, civilian. clothes. So, he wasn't in his MDC tan. jumpsuit or anything like that like he. was at the last hearing that um happened. just last week. But today, he appeared. in a tan sweater, white undershirt, dark. pants, similar to the looks that he was. appearing in during trial. And then when. he walked inside the courtroom today, Jesse, he waved at his family. He did. kind of like a little prayer hand, but. he did seem a little bit nervous. And I. think it's possible because they just. didn't know where the sentencing would. go. And so he sat at the defense table.

with his glasses and then the. proceedings began. But you can only. imagine what was really going on in his. mind as soon as he walked in, saw his. family, saw the amount of people inside. that courtroom because Jesse, it was a. packed house today. Body to body, person. to person. There was no seat left um. unseated today inside that courtroom. >> Real quick, talk to me about that. I. heard there was 30 people in the front. rows that were friends and family of. Shawn Combmes. Anybody notable? >> So Jesse, today inside the courtroom, it. really was a kind of a little bit of a.

who's who was in there. I mean, everyone. from Janice Combmes, Diddy's mother, Kesha Combmes, Diddy's sister, Dallas. Austin, who was a music producer. He was. inside that courtroom today. Um Sean. Combmes's children, that being Jesse and. Delilah Comolmes, the twins. It was. Quincy Brown who was there. Justin. Combmes was there. Christian Combmes was. there. But I think what was interesting, Jesse, and a notable guest, at least to. me, was alleged victim number three, and. that being Gina Han. She came inside the. courtroom a little bit later than the. rest of the family. So, she wasn't. seated directly beside them. She was.

seated kind of more towards the back of. the courtroom on the defense's side. So, we did see her inside that courtroom. today. And I think also another notable. figure that I learned through this trial. was a person named Rue. And that was. Ruben, who was one of Shawn Combmes's. security guards. He was inside the. overflow courtroom. He didn't make it. into the main courtroom, but he was. present inside the courthouse. But other. notable names that were inside that. courtroom today, Jesse, were Lwanda. Lane, who is a good friend of Kim. Porter, who's also um been reportedly. taking care of the twins um um since um.

Shawn Combmes has been incarcerated. Dana Tran, who is the mother of um Shawn. Combmes's youngest daughter, Love, she. was inside that courtroom. Sarah. Chapman, who is Chance's mother, was. inside that courtroom. Misa Hilton, who. was Justin's mother, was inside that. courtroom. Um, Charuchcci, who's been a. fixture throughout all of the trial, throughout all of the pre-trial. hearings, even too, one of Shawn. Combmes's very good friends, was inside. that courtroom. Karen Agnolo, lead. attorney Mark Agnolo's wife was there, too. And so, it really was just kind of. a who's who, especially of Shawn. Combmes's family and close friends. But,

I will say there wasn't any um huge huge. names that we were expecting like a. possible yay siding or anything like. that that we saw inside the main. courtroom. So, if you're a fan of. Sidebar, then you know we cover a lot of. cases here at Long Crime. And you might. be wondering, how are we able to share. so many clips with our followers from. inside the courtrooms of our hottest. trials? Well, I'll let you in on a. secret. We use a platform called Opus. Clip. It is an all-in-one AI editor that. makes it easier and faster to cut, create, and upload videos across all. social media platforms. So, through the.

use of AI, OpusClip automatically. generates B-roll, it cleans up audio, and it refframes your videos for any. platform. in Opus Clip. It is so easy to. start using. I'm going to show you how. right now. All you got to do is go to. opus.pro/sidebar. Sign up and then you upload a video. And. in just a few minutes, you'll have tons. of perfectly edited clips ready to go. So whether you're making videos for Tik. Tok or shorts or Instagram reels, OpusClip is your one-stop shop for. getting your best content seen by more.

viewers all across all these different. platforms with the press of just one. button. And if you're wondering, you. know, how good are these AI edited. videos from Opus Clip, just look at our. content here at Long Crime. Our. producers have used this to help us cut. and share clips of some of our most. major trials. And having a tool like. Opus Clip means we can get you even more. viral updates from inside the courtroom. faster than ever before. And at Sidebar, we know our listeners have a lot of. opinions and ideas to share. And this is. the most powerful tool there is to help. you edit like a pro and grow your own.

audience. So give it a try for yourself. Go to opus.pro/sidebar. Pro/Sidebar to. start creating your own videos today. Mia wasn't there. Now, Mia had prepared. a letter in support in support of a a. harsh sentence against Shawn Comb. She. had testified uh against Shawn Combmes. Said that he sexually assaulted her. The. defense had objected to her appearing in. court today to providing a statement. And in a shock, she wasn't there. >> Yeah, she wasn't there at all. And it. was kind of a big shocker to your point, Jesse, that she wasn't there because we.

thought that she would be um inside the. courtroom and we were kind of curious. who the government witnesses who would. be there to give their final um victim. impact statements um ahead of the judge. giving down Sean Cones's sentencing. But. today, right off the bat, Christy. Slavic, who um is a um prosecutor, federal prosecutor, she said Mia no. longer wishes to give an impact. statement. She had submitted that. written statement. um and that the tone. of the defense letter, I think, um was. what really kind of changed her mind as. to coming into the courtroom today. And. I can only imagine probably how Mia.

feels specifically. She's using um a. pseudonym even to testify even as she's. writing letters to the court because of. just the fear that um she has been. getting in terms of what she believes to. be backlash either from Shawn Combmes or. his fans or even just the attention that. it's um that the case has brought. against her too. And so I was very. surprised that she didn't um attend. court in person today, but I can. understand why because even the judge. said to Mark Nippolo today that the tone. of the defense's letter in response to. Mia giving a victim impact statement was.

just completely inappropriate and it was. a pretty harsh letter. Jesse, I'm sure. that you've already read it, but it was. um kind of a very harsh tone and it was. kind of similar a little bit to her. cross-examination, too. >> Now, let's talk about the prosecution. So prosecutors today, they outlined. their argument in court. It echoed a lot. of what their filings were in. anticipation of this sentencing. What. were some of the key arguments, the. themes that stood out today about why. they say it was justified for Shawn.

Combmes to have a lengthy sentence? Remember, they were asking for 11 years. How did they justify it today? What were. the arguments they made in court? >> Yeah. Well, today Christy Slavic making. the arguments on behalf of the. government. She said that today is about. accountability and justice. And she was. talking specifically about. accountability, Jesse. She was talking. about the conduct that was lasting for a. 15-year period. I mean, even if you go. back to the um superseding indictments. where it says this um conduct went on. from 2009 all the way to 2024. That's a.

long period of time. And so um from the. government's perspective, they really. just wanted accountability from the. defendant, that being Shawn Combmes. And. then they also wanted justice. particularly for the victims. I know. when we often talk about the Shawn. Combmes case, the Diddy case, the P. Diddy case, he is the focus of this. But. I think a lot of people have to remember. that there were victims in this case, that being Cassie Ventura, that being. Jane. Um that also um kind of also. applying to on some of the charges that. he was acquitted for too where you can.

also bring in like Mia and Capricorn. Clark and Deontay Nash. And so I think. the government from their perspective. was really trying to speak on behalf of. all of those people. Um and so today, um. Chrissy Slavic again, she was saying. that the law requires the court to know. all about the defendant and the. defendant's conduct. This isn't just a. case about freakoffs and hotel nights. It's about a man who did horrible things. to people. He weaponized Cory against. victims. Um they were talking about that. even though he was convicted just on the. man act charges that it's also kind of. in relation to the violence and that the.

defendant didn't understand um or. doesn't understand how harsh his conduct. was and that um his respect for the law. was just something as simple as lip. service. And so yes, the government was. asking for a far steeper penalty and. punishment when it came to Shawn. Combmes's sentencing. They were hoping. for those double digits and I think um. they were kind of opposed to the whole. split the baby method as Christy Slavic. said today in court and so they did want. a harsher end of the sentencing today. and I think as far as the judge's um. concern and what his ultimate sentence.

would be it kind of was ended up being a. kind of um happy medium a little bit. >> Yeah, we we'll get into that. And the. defense number of defense attorneys. spoke I I think almost all of them. You. had Xavier Donaldson, you had Brian. Steel. What were some of the themes they. were focusing on in terms of why Shawn. Combmes deserves a lenient sentence? Why. 14 months would be appropriate? >> Yeah. So, um, right off the bat, Jason. Driscoll making the arguments on behalf. of the defense because Jesse, yes, it. was Jason Driscoll who spoke. It was.

Nicole West Morland who spoke. Xavier. Donaldson who spoke, Mark and Brian. Steel, that's five of his what, nine. defense attorneys who all spoke in court. today. So, as far as Jason Driscoll is. concerned, um he was saying that the. defense um says that Combmes didn't make. money off of the Mandac convictions that. he was charged. And that was kind of a. big theme in terms of his argument. today. And that the defense submitted. 300 cases of manact cases where it. talked about pimps and minors being. trafficked, immigrants being. transported, homeless um people being.

transported, all of that stuff. And so, um that was kind of the theme at least. from J. Jason Driscoll's point of view. and that um the defense also saying that. Miss Slavic, Christy Slavic, who is one. of the federal prosecutors, blamed Mr. Combmes for having a drug addiction for. 25 years, something that they were also. um talking about how he had been. addicted to drugs going back at least to. 2000. And so a lot of his conduct might. be not necessarily excused because of. his drug addiction, but they say that. might be kind of the um underlying.

reason. And then when you get to Nicole. West Morland, she was talking about um. Shawn Combmes's inspiration and his. commitment at MD um MDC Brooklyn where. she was talking about all of his. successful businesses. He she was. talking about how he started a record. label from the ground up. She was. talking about his clothing line. She was. talking about um his um television um. company that being revolt. And that's. where she started to really kind of get. emotional where she was saying that. Shawn Comb spent a majority of his adult. life really trying to help the black. community, really trying to give back to. the community that he isn't this larger.

than- life persona. He's just a man who. makes mistakes. Um when it came to the. other defense attorneys speaking, Brian. Steel was just um very um urging of the. judge to please consider that Shawn. Combmes had been um had untreated trauma. throughout his line. Brian Steel um. urged the judge to consider that um. Shawn Combmes had untreated trauma in. his life and that um there have been. times in um Shawn Combmes's life, especially when he um had drugs in his. system, that there were times where he. had flatlined and that he was trying to.

be a better version of himself. And I. feel like Jesse, that was really the. theme of all the what the defense was. saying that these 13 months were really. reflective of Shawn Combmes. He wants to. be a better person. He wants to leave. the past and the past and be a better. person for the future. And so even when. it came to Xavier Donaldson, he was. speaking about how um Shawn Combmes. should receive a just punishment. He. brings up intent when he talks about. Shawn Combmes's conviction of the man. act charges and that Shawn Combmes isn't. just a pimp and that um he was talking.

about his work at MDC Brooklyn where. Xavier Donaldson said, "We've had. assemblymen and politicians, billionaires in MDC, but nobody besides. Shawn Combmes was there to actually help. out the other detainees and the other. inmates there." And then finally with. Mark Agnif um he was um his whole. argument was that domestic violence. comes with childhood trauma. So I feel. like the defense was really kind of. trying to pull at the heartstrings a. little bit of the judge and even. possibly the public too because this was. their final say to all of the um all of. the people all of the media coverage.

that this case has brought attention to. And so I think at the end of the day. from the defense's perspective, they. wanted everyone including the judge to. just look at Shawn Combmes as a man who. made terrible, terrible mistakes and. whether or not he's been punished enough. for it. That was kind of what the judge. had to consider today. But by the way, I. think it was interesting that I think. the prosecution said in response that. what only one of the five defense. lawyers who spoke actually mentioned the. victims. It was very much Shawn Combmes. focused. Now, I say that because Shawn.

Combmes did something very interesting. when he spoke. He mentioned the victims. We'll get to that in a second. Before we. do, I wasn't in that courtroom, but I. will tell you, I I reading about this, I. could feel the emotion that came out. when Shawn Comb's children provided. statements. that felt like a turning point. Uh the. judge would later reference the. children. talk to us about who spoke, what they said, and what was it like in. that courtroom. >> Well, I think it's a moment that a lot. of people were anxious to hear, not only.

from Shawn Combmes himself, but Shawn. Combmes's children, who I mean, we do. have to admit, Jesse, they have been. through a lot throughout the duration of. um Shawn Combmes's um civil litigations. uh all the way going into um his federal. case, too. And so, um when the Combmes. children came up for the victim impact. statements, they all came up together. they really were showing kind of a. solidified solid unit when they were up. at that podium speaking um in front of. the judge. I will say the only exception. of um Shawn Combmes's seven children was.

the fact that his 2-year-old daughter. Love wasn't there inside the courtroom. So um in terms of who was speaking, it. was all of them again except um baby. Love, but um Quincy spoke first. And so. one thing um people have to note about. Quincy is that Shawn Combmes isn't his. biological dad. Albi Shore actually is. And so, but what um Quincy said when he. first spoke to the judge, cuz he was the. first one up. He is also um the oldest. child, too, is that he is our father in. front of us. He's a changed man. Week. after week, we see him evolve. Our. father will never do anything to.

jeopardize his freedom ever again. Then, Justin Comb spoke next. He's the second. oldest son. Justin Combmes said, "Please. give our father a second chance. This. has been the toughest time he's ever. been through. This time saved my. father's life. I talk to my father every. day. He's changed for the better. I ask. you to see my father the way I do. Christian Combmes was next. And. Christian Combmes um kind of also. brought kind of the personality here a. little bit to Jesse where he says, you. know, I'm the one who people say I look. the most like my pops. I studied my dad. up and down. He's my superhero. He.

taught me to treat women with respect. So he said the past year I had to travel. across the country to see him for two. hours. He's changed. I see in his eyes. as his twin that he's changed. Please. give my family grace and please give him. mercy. But really, Jesse, where the. heartstrings were were with the girls, and that was Jesse Combmes, Chance. Combmes, and Delila Combmes, who were. speaking today. Jesse Combmes, who spoke. first um as far as the daughters go, she. broke down immediately when she got up. to that podium and started speaking. She. said, "We aren't here to excuse his.

mistakes. We need him in our life. I. lost my mom." Her mom being Kim Porter. when I was very young. He promised to be. there to keep us safe. than Chance. Combmes. Um she had spoke and she said. that we're just his daughters, but we do. need our father. When we talk, he speaks. with a clear mind. He's more patient. He's thoughtful. He wants to be a better. man, a better father. He's parented our. 2-year-old sister from jail. And I saw. glimpses of our father. Our sister. deserves a father who's present to teach. her how to ride a bike to tuck her in at. night before she goes to sleep.

Something that any kid would want. And. then the final um child who spoke on. behalf of the family was um Delila. Combmes and she said that we're scared. of the thought of not having our mom and. our dad in our life. She says that these. are the years that we'll never get back. I know um that much of the missing years. hurt because we do lo we have lost our. mom. We already lost so much. Please. your honor, give our family the chance. to heal together. Um not as a headline, but we're trying to do better. And so I. think from just like a human. perspective, it was very emotional. I.

mean, you couldn't help but feel for um. the children, especially um his. daughters, because um some of his. children have lost both parents. But um. you know, I was wondering would their. impact statement have any sway on the. judge who I believe that had already. made up his mind going into sentencing? And so it was interesting just to hear. just the emotional impact of what. they've been through um before Shawn. Combmes was ultimately sentenced. I I. think it did. I think it did have an. impact on I He mentioned something about. the children later on. Again, we'll get.

to that. We're teasing it up because it. was significant what the judge said. The. judge would end up referencing not only. Shawn Combmes, but the children and the. victims, too. We'll get to that. All of. this was coupled by something I don't. think I've seen in a sentencing. There. was a video, an 11minute video that was. created by the defense that was played. in court. What exactly was this video? >> Well, this video to me, Jesse, I kind of. thought was a little bit of a love. letter to Shawn Combmes. Whether it was.

to the judge, whether it was to us in. the public, I was kind of curious about. where the direction was going cuz we did. see the video prior to um it being shown. in court today. So, I did get a glimpse. of it where I saw bits and pieces of the. many accomplishments Shawn Combmes had. And I think that's one thing that nobody. can take away from him is that he did. have incredible accomplishments such as. the record label, the fashion label, the. fact that he was starting charter. schools in the inner city, the fact that. he was trying to raise money, the fact. that he was um getting more black and. brown people in order to vote and do. their civic duty, all of that sort. And.

so I think in terms of just what the. video was to show is to show that this. is who Shawn Combmes is, but there were. also glimpses of what he's like as a. dad. And so there were moments where we. saw him and his children together. And. this was all of his children going from. his oldest child and going to his. youngest child that being his daughter. love. And so we really got to see what. it was like for him not to be this quote. unquote larger than-l life person, but. really to see what he is like as both um. him during his career and him as a.

father. And so it was a very humanizing. video. It's about 11 minutes long. It. was a very interesting glimpse into his. life um kind of post um all of the civil. litigation of the federal case all of. that sort and so some of the even quotes. from it was you know let's go um and. that means to be positive and so I think. that was kind of the theme of this was. just positivity and just how positive. Shawn Combmes has been to certain. people's lives during certain moments of. his life. >> We got to talk about the big moment. This was the moment we were all waiting.

for. Shawn Combmes made a statement. Now, he provided a letter to the court. in anticipation of this. It seems like. what he said maybe echoed a lot of what. he wrote in the letter. He talked about. his time in the MDC. He talked about he. can't change the past, but he can change. the future, that he could be a force for. good. He, you know, he mentioned the. victims. He mentioned how sorry he was. This was an important moment though. because this is the first real.

opportunity. he had since all of this began to. substantively address the allegations, to address the charges, to address Jane, to address Cassie. This was his. opportunity. He stayed silent the entire. trial as he was supposed to. He didn't. take the stand. Talk to us about what he. said in court today. And we weren't. there. What was his tone like? How were. people reacting to this? Cuz that wasn't. captured.

>> Yeah. So, honestly, Jesse, even right. from the beginning, it was kind of a. dramatic moment in a sense because right. off the bat when the judge said, "Chan. Combmes, I'll give you a moment. Take. however much time you need." And so, we're all waiting for him to say the. first word. Would he sit down while he's. giving his impact statement? Would he. stand up? We didn't know what was. happening because he really took like a. good minute to, I think, kind of compose. himself. And then he stood up. He took a. deep breath into the mic, which we did. hear, which was audible. And he said. right off the bat, I want to thank you. for giving me a chance to speak up for.

myself. It's the hardest thing for me to. do was to not speak throughout all of. this. He wasn't one to be giving out TV. interviews or talking about this case or. anything like that from behind bars, even prior to his incarceration. He. didn't do any of that. And so, it was. interesting to hear what was he going to. say? Was he going to say Cassie Ventur's. name? Was he going to say Jane? We. didn't know. And so when he said right. off the bat, you know, the hardest thing. for me to do was not speak. I want to. apologize again to Cassie Ventura from. any pain that I caused emotionally or. physically. I mean, we all kind of know.

where we were when the that. Intercontinental Hotel video from 2016. dropped on CNN. And that video was hard. to kind of take out of anyone's mind. And so him saying right off um the at. the top of his speech that he apologizes. for any pain that he caused to Cassie. emotionally or physically. Um that was. kind of the first time we were hearing. him say her name in that respect cuz. even when you go back to the apology. video, he didn't say her name. Um as we. learned through trial, it was kind of. advised for him not to say her name, but. um and then when it came to Jane, he.

said, "I would like to apologize to. Jane." Not using Jane's real name, but. said, "I didn't mean to hurt you. I. would like to apologize to all of the. victims of domestic violence, too. So, really, I think from the defense's. perspective, I think that their whole. kind of strategy in a way, Jesse, was to. kind of get in front of the whole. domestic violence aspect. Something that. I think that they knew the judge would. take into consideration eventually when. he would sentence him. And so, even when. Shawn Combmes was speaking, he said, "It'll always be a burden burden that. I'll have to carry. My actions were.

shameful and disgusting. I was out of. control. I needed help. I didn't get the. help." He said, "I got lost in my. journey of life. I'm not this larger. than-l life person. I got lost in the. excess. I got lost in my ego. I lost all. of my businesses, my career, my. reputation. I lost um myself, my. self-respect. I've been humble. I hate. myself right now. I've been stripped. down to nothing." But I think one big. thing, Jesse, one notable thing that he. was really kind of getting choked up on. his words when he was giving his speech. is when he stood up or he was already. standing up when he was giving his. impact statement, but when he turned.

around to his family, specifically his. children, he was getting very choked up. He said, "I failed y'all as a father. You deserve better." Even though um. talking to his mother where he said to. my mother, "I failed you as a son. I'm. sorry." He said, "I failed my community. I wanted to be a shining example of what. people could do, what we could do if. given a chance, another chance, you. know, he wanted to explain to the judge. that people can change. And even towards. the end of his um speech, Jesse, he was. saying, you know, I thank the jury for.

my um acquitt, but he still says, I take. my man act convictions very seriously. I. want um you to make an example of what a. person can do if they're given another. chance. Because from the government's. perspective, they were hoping that the. judge would kind of make a case out of. Shawn Combmes, especially given his. wealth, especially given his clout and. the fact that the um the government. alleged that his conduct had been going. on for such a long amount of time. And. so what Shawn Combmes said in response. to that was, "I would never jeopardize. being away from my family no matter what. anyone says." And I think that was kind. of a little snide to the government.

there. He says, "No matter what anyone. says, I'm truly sorry." And so it felt. apologetic. It did feel, to your point, Jesse, a little repetitive of the letter. that he had already sent to the judge. And honestly, Jesse, it felt kind of a. little similar to the apology video. after the Intercontinental Hotel video. had dropped, too. But it seemed like he. was remorseful for his actions. >> That That's really interesting you say. that cuz look, from a legal point of. view, I thought it was significant that. he mentioned the victims. At first, I. thought he was he was trying to. apologize for everything in a way where. he wasn't directly admitting to his.

convictions. But he did say at the end, "I take responsibility for my man act. convictions." I thought he might not say. that directly. Like he didn't say, "I'm. sorry I transported these women across. state lines for the purposes of sex. work." He wasn't that specific. But the. fact that he did apologize for the man. convictions, I thought was significant. considering he some would say, "Oh, he. may not want to jeopardize his appeal. He may not want to admit fully that he. committed these crimes." But he did in a. sense. The question I had was, and you.

tell me, did it seem genuine? Because. reading it, it felt it felt like he was. very remorseful and him saying that he. doesn't want to be made an example of. about what he did, but make an example. of me about what I can do given a second. chance. Um, it felt remorseful to me. It. felt credible, but I I wasn't in the. courtroom. I don't know. You tell me. >> Yeah. Yeah, I think kind of the from the. defense's perspective, it really was. kind of pulling at the heartstrings to. really kind of bring out the tears in a. sense. So to me, it did feel a little.

bit that he was remorseful, but at the. same time, it did also feel like this. was just everything that had already. been said in the many of court filings. that were already submitted to the. judge. And then I felt like it felt a. little disingenuous at times in terms of. just the language that was used because. it was so similar to not only just the. letter, but to the apology video, too. And so I felt like the tone was to reach. for just the heartstrings. So I felt. like overall Jesse I think he was. remorseful but I don't know if it was. remorse because of his actions and the.

pain that he's caused to people or it's. because he's been sitting in a jail cell. for the last 12 months. >> Well then we came to the judge. Judge. Arun Suburmanian took a 5minute break. Was interesting because we were doing. our live coverage which by the way oh. boy I was live for I was hosting for 7. hours straight. So, we get to the. judge's decision, takes a fivem minute. break, which by the way, our guest Ser. Serena Townsen had said, "Hey, listen.". And I was asking, does any of this. affect the judge's decision? Other.

words, does the judge just come in. there, know what he's going to do? Is he. persuaded by anything that uh anybody. says in court? Like, well, you know, if. they take a break, they go back, they. may change their sentence. Five minute. break. I was like, oh, does that mean. that he changed his sentence? comes. back, delivers this sentence, and it. felt a little bit like a roller coaster. You kind of got an idea of where he was. going and then not. And talk to us about. how he started, what he said, and what. the ultimate verdict was, and then we.

can get into a little bit about what the. impact was in court, how people reacted. to it. But what did the judge say. exactly regarding the sentence? Yeah, to your point, Jesse, it really. was like a roller coaster because I. didn't know where he was going because. he was starting by saying, "I consider. that you are an artist and a businessman. and your work history are celebrated.". And he used the words that Shawn. Combmes's work history was also iconic. He says, "It's impressive given the. early death of your father. Your work.

with inner city kids is commendable. There's no doubt that you are devoted to. your family." So, I think when he was. saying those words, Jesse, I think he. was really specifically talking about. those impact letters and also seeing. that 11minute video about just all the. extensive work that Shawn Combmes has. done throughout his life outside of this. federal case. And so, the judge saying. there's no doubt that you're devoted to. your family, but the court knows that. you do have problems with addiction, that drugs may have exacerbated your. conduct over the years. So, this was a. moment where I was thinking, oh, well, maybe he he'll be a little lighter on.

the sentence. That's what I was. thinking. But then the judge said the. court rejects the defense's narrative of. the whole sex, drugs, and rock and roll. That this was just comes with the. lifestyle of being um an artist, a. musician, a producer. Um the judge said. you abused power and control over women. who loved you. You used that abuse to. get away. And the evidence of abuse in. connection to freakoffs and hotel nights. is massive. We saw the gashes and the. bruises and the broken doors. And this. is specifically talking about what. Cassie had gone through um throughout. her um Cassie and Jane in that respect.

um throughout their relationships with. Shawn Combmes. And that the judge said. Jane and Cassie thought about both. ending their lives. That these were very. serious offenses. You pied Cassie with. drugs. Your conduct went over for more. than a decade. You were no John, but you. were just more than that. And so then um. the judge is telling Shawn Combmes, "Well, you said you're sorry. One thing. that strikes me is you brutally. assaulted Jane. You punched, kicked her, slapped her so hard that she fell down. But I think when people think of this.

particular instance, well, the defense. and the government say that this was one. instance of physical violence when it. came to Jane specifically. I think it's. notable the timing of when this had. happened. This had happened in June of. 2024, just last year, but also notably. after Cassy's lawsuit. This was after. his homes were raided. This was after. the video of him um assaulting Cassie. had leaked to CNN. And the judge said um. that even um after he had a physically. assaulted Jane during this June 2024. incident that he had said and this was.

um going by the court scr court. transcript, take this effing pill, you. aren't going to ruin my effing night. You asked um you asked her also, is this. coercive? And so I think from the. judge's perspective um that was kind of. a clear sign that the conduct has still. been going on just um pretty quickly and. or pretty recently. And so the judge. also said these acts of sexual violence. substantial sentence must be given. So I. was thinking maybe he would agree with. the prosecution possibly go for that 135.

months. But he says that's kind of he. said while that's more than necessary he. said it's also not reasonable. and he. said that the government's proposal. doesn't take into consideration the. mitigating factors where it was the. opposite for the defense where the. defense's proposal of pretty much being. time served um was that that didn't take. into consideration the aggravating. factors. So that would be the violence. and all of that. And so um the judge. said at the end, you know, the defense's. proposal is insufficient. And so he. handed down that sentence of 50 months.

of incarceration. And the judge noted, "It's hard time in prison, but you will. have a life after this." And so, um, towards the end of his, um, statement, uh, the judge really spoke to the. victims, cuz I think honestly, Jesse, that's something that gets really lost. within this case is, um, Cassie Ventura. and Jane. And he was commending him, he. being the judge, commending them, for. speaking out and giving a voice to. survivors. He said to, um, he said to. Miss Ventura, "We heard you. Mr. Combmes. will never be able to wash it away." Um,

and then speaking back to Cassie and the. victims says that your families are. proud of you. I am proud of you. You're. speaking to the millions who didn't have. a voice. Violence behind closed doors. doesn't have to stay hidden forever. Um, I know you bear the trauma of what. happened. Even though you were a victim, you don't have to be. And so towards the. end, the judge said, "Mr. Colmes, these. crimes were serious." And he read bits. and pieces of Cassie Ventura's letter to. the judge. and he did say kind of some. um maybe some comforting words to Shawn. Combmes and his family where he says you.

and your family will get through this. I'm counting on you to make the most of. your second chance. And then immediately. after he adjourned the court for the day. and then Shawn Combmes was eventually. taken away. But Jesse, the reaction, I. think a lot of people were surprised. >> Yeah. And that idea of a second chance, it may not be the second chance that. Shawn Combmes was advocating for or. hoping for, but in light of what he. could have been facing, it really is a a. second chance. Um, I I thought it was. quite notable of the judge to address. the victims in this case because there. are people who could interpret this and.

say, "My gosh, this doesn't feel. sufficient for what Shawn Combmes did.". And taking the time to address it, I. think was important, but also saying to. Shawn Combmes, you know, you're loved. You have this love. You're giving you a. second chance. Um, before we get into. the reaction, it seems to me, and. correct me if I'm wrong, it seems to me, we're talking four years, a little over. four years in prison is what he was. sentenced to, but he spent almost 14. months in prison in jail already at the. MDC. He's going to get credit, I think,

for time served. So, it would be 3. years. And if I'm right that there is a. possibility you have to serve at least. 85%. of your time before you could even get. released. We are talking what 2 and a. half to three years in prison. And. correct me if I'm wrong there. Was that. before I get into the reaction of. everybody in the courtroom what it was. like. >> you've been covering this case from the. very beginning. So a am I right about. two and a half three years but also were. you surprised by that sentence?

So to answer your first question, I was. doing the math. Honestly, I was doing. times tables, multiplication, division. just to figure out how much time he. actually was sentenced to because again, these are in terms of months and not. years. So yes, with um some quick math, it's around that two and a half, threeear sentence. And then with. predative time served, it's possible. that he could be out by pretty um. quickly as opposed to what the. government was um hoping for, which. would have been um those um double-digit. numbers. But in terms of just overall.

the totality of this case, you know, given that we thought there could have. been that possibility had he been. convicted of the other charges that it. could have been anywhere from 20 years. to life in prison. So to see that at the. end of the um sentence, at the end of. the trial, after we've heard all the. evidence, after the jury made their. decision, through everything that in. terms of his full sentence. Yeah. So. about um 2 and 1/2, three and a half, four years um and then credit of time. served. So, it could be out relatively. sooner than, you know, what could have. been the harsher end of that sentence. But I think overall, just listening to 2.

months of trial, plus all the pre-trial. hearings, because I think the pre-trial. hearings were very important, too, because there was two words that. couldn't be uttered throughout this. entire trial, and that was coercive. control. And so from my perspective, Jesse, being someone who was inside that. courtroom, seeing all of this evidence. for the most part that we were able to. see, I was curious to um to know whether. or not the verdict or the outcome would. be different had those two words been. admitted into um the trial or maybe if. the um expansion of Dr. Don Hughes's. testimony would have went longer, just.

those type of things. But I think in. terms of just initially thinking when we. saw the indictment that he could be. facing anywhere between 20 years to life. and he was convicted of everything to. seeing you know around less than 5. years. I think that is pretty reasonable. and I think the judge was reasonable and. fair when he made his ultimate decision. today. >> What was the reaction to that sentence. particularly from Shawn Combmes? Um and. I understand he might have said. something to his family as he was. escorted out of the courtroom. Right. >> Yeah. And it happened all very quickly.

It was like the judge said court is. adjourned and then all of a sudden. because he wasn't free to go, he was. really kind of um taken away in a sense. by US marshals. Not in a dramatic. fashion or anything like that. He just. walked out of the courtroom. Um but. before he was taken out of the. courtroom, he did turn to his family and. he said, "I'm sorry and I love you to. them." I think maybe the family was. hoping that there would be a possibility. of time served, that there would be that. possibility that he'd be free to go and. he'd probably be back at home by the. weekend, but unfortunately that didn't.

happen. And so, I'm sure it was a big. disappointment and a let down. I was. expecting a big audible reaction when. the sentence was handed down, but that. was something that I didn't hear when I. was inside the courtroom. I think a lot. of people were too busy kind of maybe. calculating the math of how much time. that sentence actually ended up being. But I think from the family's. perspective, maybe they were just going. in knowing that there could be that. possibility that he wouldn't be able to. go home and so they might have prepared. themselves for that ahead of time. But I. do think that they were disappointed. that Shawn Combmes wouldn't be coming.

home with them today. >> Elizabeth Milner, thank you so much for. your incredible reporting during the. course of this whole trial. It has been. a pleasure working with you on this. case. Um, for everyone's sake, I hope. that Shawn Combmes, when he is released, he does take that second chance, that he. does grow, that he does become a benefit. to society because it can't be. overstated that he was convicted of. serious crimes. These were not.

victimless crimes and I think the judge, the court made that clear. Uh, this has. been a really tough case to cover, but. really appreciate everybody who's been. following us, particularly here on. Sidebar. But I just want to thank. Elizabeth Milner once again because you. were terrific. You were our eyes and. ears in a courtroom that did not permit. cameras even though they should. Did not. permit cameras. So, thank you so much. for all the work that you did day in and. day out. >> Thank you so much, Jesse. Truly, I loved. being on with you every single day and. it was very interesting perspective to.

be inside that courtroom every single. day, too. But loved being on with you. >> That is all we have for you right now. here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so. much for joining us and as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple. Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should. get your podcast. You can follow me on X. or Instagram. I'm Jesse Weber. I'll see. you next time. [Music].