Judge Fast-Tracks Diddy’s Appeal After Pardon Push Falls Through

Photo Credit: Kenny Eliason

A federal appeals judge grants Diddy’s team’s request to expedite his appeal process, which could see him out of prison before his sentence is up.

Just days after Sean “Diddy” Combs was moved to a low-security facility in New Jersey, a federal appeals judge granted his legal team’s request to expedite the process. The move could mean that Combs might get out of prison well before his 50-month sentence is up.

On Monday, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Beth Robinson approved the request from Combs’ legal team, who aim to prevent their client from serving significant prison time.

The prospective appeals schedule proposed by the judge shows Combs’ brief due by December 23 and the U.S. government’s brief scheduled to be delivered by February 20. Meanwhile, Combs’ legal team’s reply is due by March 13. If the schedule remains on track, oral arguments would take place by early April.

Combs was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution in violation of the Mann Act, following an eight-week trial. By not being found guilty of the more serious charges, Combs was actually spared a possible life sentence.

“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,” said defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro last week.

During the sentencing, Combs’ attorneys sought time served of 14 months for their client, which he served at the notorious Metropolitan Correction Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial. Meanwhile, the prosecution asked the judge to sentence Combs to no less than 11 years and three months.

FCI Fort Dix, where Combs is now held, is a low-security federal facility in New Jersey. It was Combs’ top choice due to its proximity to his family home and a rehab program that could see him housed outside the general population.

Currently, Combs is scheduled to be released on May 8, 2028, but he may be eligible for early release for good behavior as part of the Bureau of Prisons’ First Step program. Should his appeal process be successful, he could be out even sooner.