Morning Note

At this time yesterday, there was a real possibility that Sean “Diddy” Combs would spend the rest of his life in prison. Now, that seems highly unlikely. 

A New York jury found the hip-hop star not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking on Wednesday, concluding the high-profile trial that dominated entertainment news for nearly two months. Although the acquittals are a win for the defendant, the jury still found him guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

If you’re in the dark about the Diddy saga, you’ve missed a lot. Once an A-list Hollywood celebrity, the Bad Boy Records founder has fallen from grace as his victims have brought his years of physical and sexual abuse to light. He allegedly had a hobby of forcing women into drug-dazed “freak-offs,” beating the living daylights out of them, and watching them have sex with other men.

Diddy will remain behind bars until his sentencing. Prosecutors are seeking a detention term between four and five years.

Read more.