Sean 'Diddy' Combs's lawyers appealed his conviction and years-long prison sentence in federal court on Thursday

Key Points:

• Sean “Diddy” Combs's lawyers appealed his 50-month prison sentence for prostitution-related charges, seeking his immediate release and overturning of his Mann Act conviction, arguing the sentence was excessively harsh and based on evidence rejected by the jury.
• Defense attorneys claim the judge improperly considered allegations of fraud and sexual coercion, which the jury acquitted, and contend that recordings Combs made should be protected by the First Amendment as “amateur pornography.”
• Prosecutors defended the judge's decision to consider Combs's abusive conduct in sentencing, stating it was relevant to the prostitution charges despite acquittals on sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
• Combs was convicted last July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of more severe charges that could have led to life imprisonment; he was sentenced in October to 50 months in prison, a $500,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
• The federal appeals court will decide whether to uphold the conviction, order a new sentencing hearing, or overturn the case; Combs's release date has been adjusted multiple times, currently set for April 15, 2028.