Rosie O’Donnell has unleashed a furious response to Sean “Diddy” Combs’ acquittal on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, expressing her outrage on social media within hours of Wednesday’s verdict.
The hip-hop mogul was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but cleared of the more serious charges by a jury of eight men and three women in New York City on Wednesday.
The veteran comedian, 63, took to Instagram with an expletive-laden post, writing: “I guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion- wow – they just think women stay because what? money – fame – ‘they love the abuse’ – what a f***ing joke – this decision got me angry #cassie.”
The former talk show host’s anger centred on the jury’s apparent rejection of testimony from Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, who had described years of alleged abuse, coercion, and control through threats during the trial.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was acquitted on three of the five charges he faces
PA
Combs, 55, fell to his knees in court as the verdict was read, according to reports. The two-month trial had included graphic testimony from Ventura and male escorts about alleged “Freak-Offs” – sex acts involving escorts and drugs – orchestrated across state lines.
Despite the partial acquittal, Judge Arun Subramanian denied bail, keeping Combs in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center until his sentencing on October 3. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek the maximum 20-year sentence for the prostitution convictions.
Aubrey O’Day, who worked with Combs on his Making the Band 3 reality show, posted a visceral reaction to the verdict on Instagram Stories.
“Oh my God, not guilty on Cassie, not guilty on Rico, no way that Jane is gonna be guilty,” she said whilst filming a video of CNN reporters sharing the verdict. “This makes me physically ill. … Cassie probably feels so horrible. Ugh, I’m gonna vomit.”
Rosie O’Donnell fumed at the decision
GETTY
The former Danity Kane member, who was removed from the Bad Boy Records group in 2008, issued a separate statement describing the verdict’s impact.
“The cultural weight of this decision is immeasurable. It is heartbreaking to witness how many lives have been impacted by their experiences with Sean Combs — only for those stories to fall short in the eyes of a jury,” she wrote.
Grammy-nominated singer Kesha posted on X in solidarity with Ventura, writing: “Cassie, I believe you. I love you. Your strength is a beacon for every survivor.”
The singer, who last year changed the lyric in her 2010 hit TiK ToK from “feeling like P. Diddy” to “fuck P. Diddy”, kept her response focused on supporting the key witness.
Meanwhile, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Combs’ longtime rival, sparked widespread backlash with his Instagram reaction. “Diddy beat the Rico, that boy a bad man!” he wrote, adding, “he like the Gay John Gotti.”
The 48-year-old rapper posted a mocked-up AI image alongside the comment, drawing instant criticism from followers who accused him of homophobia and celebrating a legal outcome involving serious allegations of abuse.
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Rosie O’Donnell took to Instagram to vent her fury
Actress Rosanna Arquette echoed O’Donnell’s sentiments in the comments section, writing: “Broken-hearted for the brave survivors on top of more broken hearts.”
The verdict prompted an outpouring of frustration from social media users, with one commenter declaring: “I knew this would happen, but I’m still crying! I feel so sick.”
Ventura’s legal team issued a statement acknowledging that whilst the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking her beyond reasonable doubt, “she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.”
The statement added: “By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”
Court sketch of defence lawyers comforting ‘Diddy’ (centre) while discussing how to handle a note sent by jurors that they had reached a verdict on four of the five counts against him
REUTERS
Not all reactions were critical, however. Rapper Boosie BadAzz celebrated the verdict, writing “GREAT DAY N HIP HOP” and expressing fatigue at seeing “Black moguls get took down.”
