NEW YORK (AP) — On the eve of his sentencing, Sean Diddy Combs told a federal judge Thursday that he is a new man after realizing that he was broken to my core and wondering at times if he was better off dead.
Combs, 55, wrote in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian that with his mind clear of drugs and alcohol after a year in jail, he can see how rotten he had become before his September 2024 arrest in a case that led to his conviction on two prostitution-related counts. His sentencing hearing is set to begin Friday morning.
Over the past year there have been so many times that I wanted to give up. There have been some days I thought I would be better off dead. The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn. Prison will change you or kill you — I choose to live, he said.
A jury in July acquitted Combs on sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, meaning he won’t face a life sentence. The prostitution-related counts each carry a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.
Combs wrote that the last two years have been the hardest of his life, and I have no one to blame for my current reality and situation but myself.
Combs publicly apologized for violent actions against his former girlfriend Casandra Cassie Ventura and expressed remorse for his behavior, recognizing the emotional pain he caused. He underwent a transformation during his incarceration, utilizing the time to read, write, and conduct a course for fellow inmates.
In his appeal to the judge, Combs highlighted the impact of his absence on his family, including his elderly mother and children. He called the conditions of his detention inhumane and vowed to never commit a crime again, outlining his personal growth and commitment to a better future.
If you allow me to go home to my family, I promise I will not let you down and I will make you proud, Combs concluded, as he asks for a chance at redemption.
