On the eve of his sentencing, Sean “Diddy” Combs delivered an emotional, four-page letter to Judge Arun Subramanian in which he asked for mercy and pledged a personal transformation. The 55-year-old, convicted earlier this year on two prostitution-related counts, asserted that his time behind bars has altered him deeply.
In the letter, Combs wrote, “I take full responsibility and accountability for my past wrongs.” He apologized directly to Cassie Ventura and to the woman who testified under the name “Jane,” acknowledging that his actions caused lasting pain. “The scene and images of me assaulting Cassie play over and over in my head daily,” he confessed. “I was dead wrong for putting my hands on the woman that I loved. I’m sorry for that and always will be.”
He also addressed the “Jane” testimony: “After hearing her testimony, I realized that I hurt her. For this I am deeply sorry.” Combs acknowledged that simple apologies “will never be good enough” to erase the harm from his past.
Diddy Plea for Second Chance
Combs told the judge he has emerged from a “spiritual reset,” free from drugs and alcohol, and on a path toward redemption. “The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn,” he wrote. “Prison will change you or kill you — I choose to live.”
He asked the court to make him “an example of what a person can do if afforded a second chance.” “If you allow me to go home to my family, I promise I will not let you down and I will make you proud,” he added.
Defense attorneys are urging the judge to grant time served—14 months already spent in custody—rather than impose further prison time. Prosecutors, however, are asking for a sentence of at least 11 years.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 3, 2025, when Subramanian will weigh the severity of Combs’s crimes against his stated remorse and rehabilitation efforts.
Victims Respond, Concerns Rise
Cassie Ventura, whose testimony played a central role in the trial, has urged the court to issue a sentence that reflects her experiences. In a separate letter, she described enduring over a decade of abuse and control, and warned of possible retribution if Combs walks free. Ventura’s attorney questioned the sincerity of Combs’s statements, saying they remain too centered on his own suffering.
Observers say the judge’s decision must balance accountability, victims’ voices and the possibility of redemption. Combs’s letter is his most forceful bid yet for mercy and a renewed life.