Sean Combs has asked a US court to reopen his criminal case and accelerate the appeal process.
The jailed 55-year-old rapper’s demand follows his conviction on two felony counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Court documents filed on 29 October show Combs’ legal team has requested an expedited briefing and argument, outlining plans to challenge both the sentence and verdict, according to The Mirror US.
Combs – who has now been behind bars for more than a year – was found guilty on the prostitution-related charges after a two-month trial but was acquitted of more serious allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
Combs’ attorney Alex Shapiro told The Mirror US: “Sean’s appeal will challenge the unfair use of the Mann Act, an infamous statute with a sordid history, to prosecute him for sex with consenting adults.”
The Mann Act, first enacted in 1910 as the White-Slave Traffic Act, prohibits the transportation of individuals across state lines for prostitution or other criminal sexual activity.
It was later renamed but has remained a controversial law.
Combs’ defence has argued that prosecutors misapplied the statute in his case.
According to a court filing obtained by The Mirror US, the defence stated “Mr Combs has been singled out because he is a powerful Black man, and he is being prosecuted for conduct that regularly goes unpunished”.
The filing continued: “No other person, and certainly no white person, has ever previously been prosecuted under the White-Slave Traffic Act for hiring male escorts from another State.”
Combs’ lawyers also alleged racial bias and misconduct by prosecutors, writing “the government’s handling of this case demonstrates bias and animus”.
They added: “It has gone out of its way to humiliate Mr Combs and to prejudice the jury pool with pretrial publicity that plays on racist tropes. It has leaked damaging (and often times false) material to the press.”
The latest motion emphasised the defence’s belief in the need for an expedited process, noting Combs “has already served approximately 14 months of his 50-month sentence (his pre-trial incarceration commenced in September 2024), and it is unclear how much additional time he will ultimately” serve.
Combs’ attorneys added his remaining sentence could be reduced under the Residential Drug Abuse Program and the First Step Act – federal initiatives providing therapy and sentence-reduction opportunities for eligible prisoners.
Combs’ team has previously made multiple requests for his release, all of which have been denied.
Prosecutors and accusers in the case have repeatedly expressed concern for their safety if the musician were released, while Combs continues to deny any wrongdoing.
