Why the disgraced music mogul might be better off not accpeting the pardon
SEAN ‘Diddy’ Combs would be a free man within days if Donald Trump decides to pardon him but it would not bode well for his future, a lawyer has warned.
Trump surprised reporters by commenting on Diddy’s court case during a news conference with Elon Musk last week and revealed he would consider whether the rapper’s been “mistreated.”
Combs has been pictured with the President at several events over the years but they had not been in contact leading up to his arrest for alleged sex trafficking and racketeering.
Asked if he would consider pardoning him, Trump said, “Nobody’s asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking.”
He said he felt the former music mogul used to like him “a lot” but wasn’t his biggest fan after he went into politics.
Despite this, Trump said, “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
The U.S. Sun spoke to Los Angeles-based trial attorney Tre Lovell for his opinion on a possible pardon and how that would play out.
He said, “The pardoning power is one of the ultimate powers of the President. It’s virtually unchecked, and he can do it.
“He doesn’t even have to wait for the conviction. He can do it at any time after somebody’s charged, even after the crime occurs.
“So the second that President Trump determines that he’s gonna pardon him [Diddy]. It happens immediately.
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“They basically sign the pardon, it would be sent to Diddy, and assuming he accepted, which obviously he would, then that’s that.”
Lovell said if he had already been convicted there would be an administrative process through the Federal Bureau of Prisons to arrange his release and transportation but it wouldn’t be long before he was out.
“There may be a few hours, maybe one or two days sometimes that they can take time just because of the bureaucracy,” he said.
Combs, 55, is currently on trial in New York after pleading not guilty to five counts of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He is facing up to life in prison if convicted.
The jury has heard from several witnesses in the case so far, including Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, after a damning video emerged of him beating her during their relationship.
He said it wouldn’t make sense for Trump to pardon him halfway into the prosecution’s case when the jury hasn’t yet heard all of the facts, adding that it would be “premature” to act now.
“I was very surprised that Trump is considering pardoning Diddy, especially in light of the fact the trial is ongoing now,” he said.
“We are hearing witness after witness after witness testify to some horrible things.
“It would be a slap in the face to the witnesses, to the victims, to a lot of people to just pardon him, you know.
People will think he got a free ride and beat the system.”
Attorney Tre Lovell on a possible pardon for Diddy
“It would seem that he would want to wait until the trial is over, and if there’s not a conviction then there’s no need for him to get involved.”
He went on to say, “There’s one thing that Americans stand for … it’s accountability, and if he were pardoned in light of what’s been happening, these allegations and this testimony, there would be a sense of loss and lack of accountability.
“And so I don’t know how that would sit with most Americans with respect to President Trump.”
But Lovell said he doesn’t think anybody would be surprised if Trump pardoned Diddy.
“He’s pardoned a lot of people that people take umbrage [with]. And he’s not worried about a re-election, so I don’t really think it would affect him.
“He may have some more detractors, but I don’t think he really cares, and his conduct thus far shows he’s going to do what he wants to do.”
Lovell feels if Diddy is acquitted it would be a sense of victory and it would be easier to acclimate to society because he will have been vindicated in court.
However, if he’s convicted and pardoned by Trump it would have more of a negative impact on him.
“It’ll be a little tougher because people will think he got a free ride and beat the system,” he said.
But regardless, Lovell feels “Diddy’s reputation has been irreparably harmed” and he will never be the billionaire music mogul he was once admired by millions.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/14390575/diddy-would-be-free-in-days-trump-pardon/
