Judge EVISCERATES Sean “Diddy” Combs at Sentencing & Quotes His FILTHY Words Back to Him

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Podcast: Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Episode: Judge EVISCERATES Sean “Diddy” Combs at Sentencing & Quotes His FILTHY Words Back to Him
Date: October 4, 2025
Host: Ashleigh Banfield

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into the headline-making sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs for federal prostitution charges, the judge’s scathing words during court, the survivor testimony that cut through the courtroom, and how this trial reflects the progress (or lack thereof) in holding powerful figures accountable. Ashleigh Banfield draws connections to the 30th anniversary of the O.J. Simpson verdict, ties in her decades-long reporting on true crime, and features conversations with Kim Goldman (sister of Ron Goldman) as well as Michael Francis (former mafia capo) about mass media trials, victim advocacy, and what federal prison will look like for Diddy.

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Sentencing Day: The Verdict and Its Impact

Starts at 00:00

Key Points:

• Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted on two counts under the Mann Act for transporting people across state lines for prostitution.
• He was sentenced by Judge Aaron Subramanian to 50 months (4 years and 2 months) in prison and fined $500,000.
• Combs skated on the more serious charges (RICO and sex trafficking, which could have resulted in decades in prison) but was acquitted.
• Practical impact: With good behavior credit (15%) and time served (13 months), Diddy could be out in around 31.5 months—just over two years.

Quote [00:46]:
“In the billionaires’ world, and particularly in Diddy's world, half a million dollars is like a short yacht charter. It's like chump change.” – Ashleigh Banfield

Judge's Harsh Words & Salacious Testimony

• Judge Subramanian read explicit, demeaning quotes aloud in open court, something almost unheard of on the federal bench, emphasizing the severity of Combs's actions.

Notable Moment [02:14]:
"Take this pill, go out there and suck his dick. Him. I don’t care." — Judge Subramanian, reading a victim’s quote allegedly directed by Diddy

• The judge expressed doubt that such acts "wouldn’t happen again" and was unconvinced by Diddy’s sudden show of remorse.

Quote [03:04]:
"The court is not convinced this wouldn’t happen again.” – Judge Subramanian

Diddy’s Courtroom Behavior

• Diddy called his own actions “shameful and sick, sickening and disgusting” – a new admission absent from his trial testimony or orchestrated in-court video appeal for leniency.
• The defense showed a highly-produced video painting Diddy as a devoted father and mentor. Diddy sobbed during this presentation.

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The O.J. Simpson Anniversary: Fame, Power, Justice

Starts at 04:50

Banfield reflects on the 30th anniversary of the O.J. Simpson verdict (October 3, 1995) and its long shadow over American perceptions of justice, celebrity, and domestic violence.

Quote [05:53]:
"We're still coming to grips with what O.J. taught us about fame and power and justice.” – Ashleigh Banfield

• Banfield introduces her interview with Kim Goldman (Ron Goldman’s sister), who speaks about anger, loss, and how little society still does to truly support victims.

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Reactions to Sentencing; Celebrity, Accountability & Victim Testimony

Starts at 12:58

The Role of Victims and the Limits of Accountability

• Banfield underscores the disconnect between “time served” and true consequences in the world of the affluent and powerful.
• Diddy’s family—including his six grown children—spoke on his behalf in court.

The Video Montage of Positive Deeds

• The defense’s video included testimonials about Combs’s charity work, mentorship, and aspirations to “raise the hip hop community” and “do good for the children of New York City.”

Quote [10:11]:
“Let’s go — we’re going straight to the top, baby…you will change the world.” – Sean Diddy Combs, from the defense’s video presentation

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Victim Advocacy and Reflections With Kim Goldman

Segment starts at 25:56

Key Insights from Kim Goldman

• The intersection of celebrity, power, and justice makes it uniquely difficult for survivor testimony to break through, but Goldman sees slow progress in victims being heard.
• Goldman highlights that “not guilty” does not mean nothing happened; it may only mean the prosecution couldn’t meet the legal burden.

Quote [28:38]:
"Not guilty doesn’t mean that harm didn’t occur. Not guilty doesn’t mean that the crimes weren’t committed." — Kim Goldman on the difference between acquittal and innocence

• Survivors often face revictimization, trauma, and an imbalance of power when accusations involve the rich and famous.

Quote [29:28]: "Victims and survivors don’t control the law... the only thing that they can control is their own truth and their own ability to come forward." – Kim Goldman

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Media, NDAs, and Federal Prosecutions

Starts at 20:16

Discussion with Nadia Shihada (former federal prosecutor, R. Kelly case)

• Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs): Can inhibit, but ultimately do not block, federal investigations—witnesses can be compelled to speak under subpoena.
• The Diddy prosecution mirrored tactics from the R. Kelly case, underlining how feds can work around the shields of celebrity and powerful teams.

Quote [21:22]:
"An NDA, when push comes to shove, is not going to trump a grand jury subpoena or a federal agent or prosecutor asking you questions.” – Nadia Shihada

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Prison Realities: What Awaits Diddy?

Segment starts at 33:29 – Interview with Michael Francis

Expert Commentary: Michael Francis (Former Mafia Capo)

• Francis anticipates Diddy will serve in a medium security prison rather than a low-security “camp” (Club Fed) due to his high-profile status.
• Diddy likely to have more friends than enemies inside due to his wealth and connections; “he could be a golden ticket for some people.”

Quote [36:13]:
“He did very well with respect to all the drama… He could have gotten up to ten or eleven years.” – Michael Francis

• The logistics of prison designation, what Diddy’s thinking now, and how parole and post-release will differ for someone used to celebrity life.

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Reflections on Collateral Damage and Legacy

Starts at 40:15

• Banfield reminds listeners not to forget the specific acts for which Diddy was accused—even if acquitted on certain charges.
• Points out the rippling impact of crime: Diddy’s children will be without a parent; Kim Porter (mother of his kids) is deceased.

Quote [41:27]:
"A lot of people don’t think of the perpetrators' families, but I do because they’re innocent. They didn’t deserve this. That’s what those perps do—they victimize a lot of people, not just their targets.” – Ashleigh Banfield

• Emphasizes that no matter what time Diddy serves, his public legacy is forever altered by the court proceedings and survivor accounts.

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Notable Timestamps & Quotes

• [02:14] Judge Subramanian: “Take this pill, go out there and suck his dick. Him. I don’t care.” (quoting victim testimony)
• [03:04] Judge Subramanian: “The court is not convinced this wouldn’t happen again.”
• [18:52] Banfield: “And about those personal appearances that Diddy thought that he’d be at next week in Florida…I have to giggle…those aren’t going to happen, Diddy.”
• [21:22] Nadia Shihada: “An NDA…is not going to trump a grand jury subpoena…”
• [28:38] Kim Goldman: “Not guilty doesn’t mean that harm didn’t occur…”
• [29:28] Kim Goldman: “Victims and survivors don’t control the law…they can control their own truth…”
• [36:13] Michael Francis: "He could have gotten up to ten or eleven years... he did very well."
• [41:27] Banfield: "That's what those perps do—they victimize a lot of people, not just their targets."

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Tone and Takeaways

• Ashleigh Banfield’s style is irreverent, sharp, and personal, often inserting her own decades of true crime experience and empathy for survivors.
• She maintains skepticism toward extravagant legal displays of remorse from the rich and famous.
• The episode is as much about the system’s shortcomings as it is about “celebrity justice” and the trauma crime leaves in its wake.

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Final Thoughts

Ashleigh Banfield underscores that even with a prison sentence, the consequences for Diddy will ripple far beyond prison walls, affecting public memory, survivor healing, and his own family. The case sits at the intersection of true crime, celebrity, and evolving cultural standards for justice and accountability.

Ending note: "The truth isn’t just serious—it’s drop dead seriously." – Ashleigh Banfield

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Transcript

[Ashley Banfield]

Foreign. I'm Ashley Banfield and this is drop dead serious. Well, a federal judge just brought the hammer down on Sean Diddy Combs today for those prostitution charges that he was convicted of this summer. He brought the hammer down, but he didn't bring a sledgehammer down. Remember that? Diddy skated on those really serious charges of sex trafficking and RICO could have put him in the pokey for, you know, decades, but the jury acquitted him him of those. He did get hit with two counts of the man act as basically ferrying people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. And he had to pay the piper on those. Today, sentencing day, Judge Aaron Subramanian, Federal judge gave him 50 months. Five. That's four years and two months behind bars. But here's the math on this, and that's what really matters here. You can always get a sentence, but there's always magic. Right? With 15% credit and with the 13 months that he's already served, while he's been awaiting trial and sentencing, he will effectively walk out in just over two years, 31 and a half months to be exact. As long as he keeps his nose clean. Right? You don't get that 15% credit if you're an asshole. If you do a bunch of bad stuff, like if he's got with a cell phone, if he's doing naughty things, if he's got with drugs, yeah, you don't get that. But if he does everything right, it just could be a little over two years more that he would basically have to serve. He's also been hit with a $500,000 fine. So that's not nothing, right? Half a million. But I am going to tell you this. In the billionaires world, and particularly in Diddy's world, a half a million dollars is like a short yacht charter. It's like chump change. It really isn't a lot. But make no mistake, this wasn't just about the numbers. Judge Subramanian lit into Diddy in a way that you almost never hear from the bench. He read a quote from one of Diddy's victims saying that Diddy told her to do something really, really filthy. And I want to remind you as I read this that this is a judge reading this quote in open court. So what I'm about to say is actually the judge saying this. This is like, unheard of. But the victim is saying that Diddy told her to, quote, take this pill, go out there and suck his dick him. I don't care. That is what the judge said. Again, the judge is quoting a victim. But the judge said those words in open court. And then the judge said flat out, the court is not convinced this wouldn't happen again. And when Diddy finally had his chance to speak, he called his own behavior shameful and sick, sickening and disgusting. Good for him. Finally acknowledging something that he did not acknowledge when he was at trial, Right. Even after the verdicts were handed down. He also didn't acknowledge it in the super slick video that he played in court today while begging the judge for mercy. And I'm going to get to that in a minute. I am recording this podcast on October 3rd, and if you didn't know this, October 3rd is one of the biggest days in true crime history, long before Sean Diddy Combs faced the music in federal court and found out his sentence. It's a big anniversary for 30 years to be exact, because on this date in 1995, a jury in Los Angeles found O.J. simpson not guilty of murdering his ex wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Nicole's friend, Ron Goldman. Let me tell you something. Every time this anniversary rolls around October 3rd, it reminds me, oh, right, I'm X number of years in the United States because I got here 30 years ago this week. I basically arrived and checked in at my new job at a local TV station in Dallas, Texas. And suddenly it was time for the O.J. verdict. And I remember it was like one of my first big assignments, if not the first. And so it's kind of the the moment that I mark. So here we are. I can't believe it's been 30 years. And I'm sure that there are a lot of other people who say that more than I do. This was a verdict that rocked the nation both for and against O.J. and frankly, we're still coming to grips with what O.J. taught us about fame and power and justice. Earlier on my News Nation show, Shout Out News Nation. I got a show called Banfield, 10 O' Clock Eastern. I sat down with a woman who carries the O.J. trial and the O.J. verdict in her heart every single day. Her name is Kim Goldman. She's Ron Goldsman's sister. And I'm going to play you that conversation in just a little bit. She certainly had something to say about how far we've come in 30 years when it comes to punishing domestic abusers, because that Judge gave Diddy 50 months in federal prison. That ain't nothing. But is it something? One thing I will say is that it must have come as a real surprise to Diddy because He was already booking speaking engagements in Miami for next week. Let that sink in. Let me repeat it. Diddy was booking appearances in Miami next week. So I figure he was just thinking he was going through the motions today, right? Those aren't going to happen, Diddy. I got more on that, too in just a second. But first, sentencing day. While Diddy skated in July on the more serious RICO and sex trafficking charges, he paid the price for his two guilty verdicts today. The feds were pushing for more than 11 years, but Team Diddy asked for no more than 14 months. And I think Diddy was expecting he wouldn't even get that. And since Diddy's already been locked up for just, just over 12, it would have given him, I guess, a few weeks to pack up his cell at the Brooklyn Detention center before resuming his life and moving freely about the cabin. The 50 month sentence, though, means four years, two months and given credit for, you know, time served, plus the, the good behavior he accrues, he's looking at a little over two years in a federal pen somewhere. We do not know where, not yet. And it is really too bad that federal proceedings aren't televised because that was some damn salty stuff in that courtroom today. His lawyers insisted those free coughs were no more than consensual adults doing adult activities. But the judge blasted back saying that was, quote, flatly inconsistent with both reality and the acceptance of responsibility. And yeah, while Diddy did acknowledge that his behavior was disgusting and shameful and sick, as I said, he also said he's lost his career and his business and his reputation, but not, apparently, his family, because Diddy's six grown children spoke up for him in court today, briefly. And the defense team played a not so brief and really highly produced video portraying their client as a doting father and a generous mentor, basically an all around paragon of virtue. Diddy sobbed and sobbed as that infomercial played.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Were you giving to the world? I don't think you know, man.

[Ashley Banfield]

That.

[Kim Goldman]

When my baby cries, we gotta give her a bottle.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Then know that you mean something to people. Know that you mean something to people, that you live somewhere in people's heart. My nose fell off.

[Ashley Banfield]

No, no nose here.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

No, my lip fell off. Thank you. You wear it, you inspire, you energize. And you've left that for the rest of the ex. One thing about great producers is they, they, they make you want to do better and be better about what you do. And he made me feel like I could do anything and go anywhere. I'm From New York. I love New York. I love the city of New York. I love the children of New York. I wanted to. To do something good. I wanted to get my generation and the hip hop community behind this. They come through in a big way. And we wanted to raise some money for the children of New York City for health and education. We have a huge education crisis and, you know, we just. This is just a start. It's something we're going to be committed to, I'm going to be committed to for a lifetime. And it's no better way than taking it to the streets. It's a beautiful city. Running all around the city's going to be painful. It's going to be rough. But, you know, if we get through it, then it'll show kids and everybody else that, you know, finish what you start and you can do anything you put your mind to. Any of y' all go to public school?

[Ashley Banfield]

Yes. Okay.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Y' all wanting to raise money for your schools so y' all get more books and computers and stuff like that. I just feel like it's important that us, you know, young adults of power, that we look out for y' all and we utilize our power to make sure y' all are right in the future. Put everything you can into your work. You know, don't think the cool thing is not to do your work. Don't think the cool thing is to hang on the corner with your friends and to talk about stuff that ain't gonna protect your.

[Michael Francis]

Learn about him as a man who was taking up a new sport.

[Unidentified Supporter or Advocate]

Well, you know, I was actually very, very impressed. You know, a lot of people think it's just a celebrity stunt, that he isn't serious about his running. He is as serious about his running has been the last nine weeks as a lot of these guys in the lead pack. I mean, he's really devoted and dedicated himself to running. You know, he's had some knee problems, and a lot of people don't think he's going to finish. He is going to finish, even if he has to do it on one leg, because he's raised a lot of money for kids charities, and he's not going to let all those people down.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Let's go. Where we going? We going straight to the top, baby. Let's go. As a constant reminder, let's go. Boom. Live in the present. Sometimes, you know, you daydreaming. Sometimes, you know, Uncle Diddy gotta hit you with. Let's go. Clap it up on the sideline. Let's get our energy right Come on. To make sure that you. You pursuing your dream, that you stay in focus. Let's go. Let's keep going forward. Let's go means let's be positive. Let's take it up another notch. Let's go spend time with our kids. Let's go. Let's give thanks to God. Let's go. You know, let's turn it up. Let's get in the vocal booth. Let's stop procrastinating. Let's go. You know, let's understand what it's going to take to achieve that dream. So instead of talking about the guns and violence, I was always talking about a better life. Places we didn't go before, things we never wore, cars we never drove, houses we never lived in. Then I brought an aspiration to hip hop. Tried to take it out of just being street. Our whole stuff was a fantasy and a dream. A dream that I always felt would come true. I started out just like you guys. I come from New York. I grew up in Harlem. I used to have to wear a uniform every day. Had to get up early in the morning, had to travel to go to school. I worked hard, just like you guys are working. This country and this world we live in may have planned for y'. All. I didn't listen to that, and I don't want y' all to listen to it here. Y' all are great. Y' all are kings. Y' all are queens. Y' all are leaders. I just got so excited because this is truly a dream come true for me. And I'm happy to say this is our third school. We have opened this official. When we come together as a people, nothing can stop us. What I want to do with my freedom is, you know, make sure that I can make change. And I found out that Mr. Sean Diddy combs posted me on Instagram. We met Sean Diddy Combs for the first time, and Sean gave Trey a $25,000 grant which allowed us to open a physical store. Revolt as one of the only black owned networks. We have to own something. We have to have something that's ours. We have to have something that we can control our narrative and we could speak about things that are important to us. And we can have a platform and a foundation to be free. But I want to get advice from y'. All. I want to not just have a one way conversation. We need a platform where they can put artists that are different, really different, that we can get a shot on other stations. Working for Revolt TV and working for Diddy was absolutely Life changing. It was the best job I've ever had. I learned excellence through him. I don't see enough things truly changing. And I don't understand how. We are the richest, most powerful country in the world. And it seems like we can't solve the problems within our own communities. African American communities are last and the only people that are going to change that is us. We have to stand strong together. We have to get to that change. You will change the world.

[Kim Goldman (continued)]

I've been through hell.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Yeah.

[Ashley Banfield]

But I'm gonna make it.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

You gonna make it. That's right. And I got something for you. Remember I told you I had a present for you? Yeah. I ain't that pretty. Oh, this is a heart. Cause you my heart. All right.

[Ashley Banfield]

Okay.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

You my heart.

[Ashley Banfield]

Okay.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

May God bless you and keep you happy and keep you thinking positive. Everything's not going to be perfect at this time in life. And you. You good. You a good person that understands reality. So we're gonna. We're gonna accentuate the positives in life because you doing great, girl.

[Ashley Banfield]

You're doing great.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

You know what I'm saying? You doing great. I want you to be happy about your life. You're doing great. We got a lot of living to do now. We got a lot of living to do. Don't have me come behind me. I'll be taking you everywhere. You be going everywhere. Head out together. Okay. When you were a little boy.

[Ashley Banfield]

Jeannie.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Jeannie. Ned. Okay, Genie.

[Ashley Banfield]

Yeah. You just keep hanging in there.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Thank you very much. I'm telling you right now, you did a great job. Thank you. I'm wrapping my head around and meeting you and also telling you you did a great job at the same time. So pleasure to meet you. I'd rather, at the end of the day today, be the one standing there with you. Was the best person. You made us feel the best as a person. How old are you? How old are you? Two. You got a two? That's two.

[Ashley Banfield]

My name is Pookie the bird. Pooky.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Happy birthday. Wash your hands because we gonna be shuffling it up.

[Ashley Banfield]

Yeah.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, God. Today, God is the greatest. He blessed me and my girlfriend Kim in the world with two beautiful baby girls. She sleep.

[Kim Goldman]

We have breaking news to tell you about now. Model and act actress Kim Porter, who shares three children with Sean Diddy Combs, has been found dead.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

She just loved me unconditionally, you know? She just loved me just for me. It's like the closest you could be, like, with A person.

[Ashley Banfield]

I get to thinking about her and.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

I go to crying about her. Today now I'm a full time dad and I'm gonna be there for you through everything, all of y'. All. Every Sunday I gotta slow everything down and do the family ritual. Get the family together, make sure the girls watching church. There is a definition of grace that is more Pops, I love you. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for inspiring. I've looked up to you and admired you. Outside of you just being my father, just you being just a great human being, a kind human being. I love how you inspired me to keep going, to never stop following my dreams, to always believe in myself. See your foot put in that little part.

[Ashley Banfield]

Yeah, I did.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

I wanted to tell you how much.

[Kim Goldman]

I love you, how much I care for you.

[Ashley Banfield]

Thank you for being so supportive of.

[Kim Goldman]

Me and my siblings dreams, for always.

[Ashley Banfield]

Encouraging us to go for whatever we want. We love you. We can retain more memories with you. Just want to thank you for everything you do for us and let you know that you're loved more than your faith.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

I had to pick which trophy I want. I want the best person trophy. I know in order for me to get into heaven, I'm not gonna get in there. Well, come on in heaven. You had 20 hit records that don't mean nothing and that's what this world is for. They gonna say, oh, come on in heaven, you was a nice person. I love you. I love you so much. I love you so much. Love you so much.

[Ashley Banfield]

Hi, daddy. And about those personal appearances that Diddy thought that he'd be at next week in Florida. I'm sorry, I have to giggle a because I didn't think he was going to be walking out today. And if I were his lawyers, I never ever would have suggested you're going to be walking out today. And if I were his lawyers, if I'd known about him booking appearances in Miami, I'd have clocked him because the prosecutors got their hands on it and they used it in court against him. To the judge, they actually said, hey, judge, this fella thinks he's going to Miami next week. And here's the quote they used. The height of hubris. That's what the prosecutor said. I agree. Plus the height of stupidity. Earlier on my News Nation show, I was joined by a veteran of a very similar case. Not the O.J. case, but before the feds came for Diddy. Nadia Shihada was the federal prosecutor from one of the two cases that put R. Kelly where he is right now in federal prison. And here's what we talked about. So first of all, your reaction to the news you're seeing to the two raids, all of the material that I've just provided prior to you coming on, and the news that the feds are modeling this case after your case?

[Kim Goldman]

Yeah, I mean, it's big news. Obviously, taking an overt step in an investigation of searching two homes means the investigation is well underway here. They clearly have probable cause to believe a federal crime has been committed and that evidence of that crime or multiple crimes would be found in the two locations that they searched. So this is, this is big news. And if I'm P. Diddy, I'm. Or his lawyers, I'd be very concerned. At this point.

[Ashley Banfield]

The biggest concern, as I understand it, and check me if I'm wrong here, is that when people sign non disclosure agreements, as may have happened in P. Diddy's world and in big celebrities world, it happens all the time. That's that. Right. Doesn't matter if you file a civil lawsuit. But when the Feds come knocking, NDAs mean nothing. Is that what you found in the prosecution of R. Kelly? All of these lawsuits and these accusers or people who may have been covered by NDAs or the floodgates were open and they could tell you everything. AKA is that possibly happening here?

[Kim Goldman]

That may well be happening here. An NDA, when push comes to shove, is not going to trump a grand jury subpoena or a federal agent or prosecutor asking you questions. But I wouldn't say that they are. That they have no effect. NDAs can make people very reluctant and hesitant to speak to law enforcement. So if it's someone that law enforcement is not already aware of, they may be wary to, you know, themselves contact law enforcement to provide information. And so they can still deter people in that sense.

[Ashley Banfield]

Hmm. But once they know they're safe, they can speak, which I think is always. Well, it's a concern if you're the target. And we are told that Diddy is indeed the target. For the young folks in the crowd, believe it or not, there was a time when television was a dominant force in our culture. And by dominant I mean that when the jury returned its verdict in O.J. simpson's double murder trial 30 years ago today, as I record this on October 3rd, it, it was unbelievable. 150 million people tuned in to that verdict. 150 million people. That, by the way, folks, is like half of the US Population. Back then, Oprah even covered it live with her studio audience. You have to see what it looked like. Take a look. And so we wait. Are you nervous? Yes. I don't know why I'm nervous. Who's nervous? Is anybody nervous yet?

[Sean Diddy Combs]

All right, Mrs. Robertson, would you have the envelope with the seal breakdowns, please?

[Court Clerk or Bailiff]

Yes, you, Honor.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

All right. Would you give those to Deputy Trower?

[Ashley Banfield]

Be still my heart.

[Sean Diddy Combs]

All right, Mr. Mr. Simpson, would you please stand and face the jury? Mrs. Robertson.

[Court Clerk or Bailiff]

Superior Court of California, county of Los Angeles, in the matter of the people of the State of California vs. Orenthal James Simpson, case number BA0967211, we, the jury, in the above entitled action, find the defendant Orenthal James Simpson not guilty of the crime of murder in violation of penal code section 187A, a felony, upon Nicole Brown Simpson, a human being, as cars. In count one of the information.

[Ashley Banfield]

Superior.

[Court Clerk or Bailiff]

Court of the State of California, county of Los Angeles, in the matter of the people State of California vs. Orenthal James Simpson, we the jury, in the above entitled action, find the defendant Orenthal James Simpson not guilty of the crime of murder in violation of penal code section 187A, a felony, upon Ronald Lyle Goldman, a human being, as charged in count two of the information.

[Ashley Banfield]

We, along with the rest of the country, saw this verdict as you saw it, and the jury has spoken. The trial was a national spectacle for all of the nine months that it was on the air, start to finish, but at the center and often overlooked were two really innocent people whom O.J. simpson was responsible for killing. I know you're probably going to say, wait, he was found not guilty. Yeah, he was found not guilty in a criminal court of murder, but he went to a civil court right after that. And he was found responsible. Right, he was found responsible. And that jury hit him with a $36 million penalty which he never paid. So when I say he's responsible for their killing, I can say that legal cover, folks, because that's what the jury said in the civil trial. But they said he was responsible for that killing and that killing was an act of domestic violence. Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are the names that we should be talking about. They were his victims. Their families wanted justice and they still do after all these years, after all these decades. Earlier on my NewsNation show again, Banfield, 10 o' clock Eastern Time, 7 o' clock Pacific on News Nation, I spoke with Kim Goldman. She's Ron Goldman's sister, and she had a lot to say, not only about this anniversary and this very big, you know, 30 year anniversary but also what happened to Diddy today? Here's our conversation. Still can't believe that it's been 30 years. And I often wonder how it is for you. You know, day in, day out, people might let this slip from their minds, but I don't think you do.

[Kim Goldman (continued)]

I don't. Thank you for having me and bringing the topic to light. I think it's timely that we are having this conversation the same day that Diddy had his sentencing, especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I've always thought that was a little bit poetic. It was also October 3rd that he found guilty of his Vegas kidnapping charges also. So there's a lot of. A lot of energy around this day. It's hard. It's hard watching that video. My hands are sweating. I don't know why. I still anticipate that a different verdict is going to come, even though I've watched it God knows how many times over the years. But it's. It's hard. It's a. It's a moment in time that really solidified the rest of my journey in this world. And, you know, it secured a place in my heart of wanting to make sure that I was advocating for victims and survivors as much as I could.

[Ashley Banfield]

So let's talk about that. I said it off the top of this show. The judge brought down a hammer. Not a sledgehammer, but it's a hammer. And I wonder how you feel. Is it God, here we are, 30 years. We're making some progress.

[Kim Goldman (continued)]

I think there is some progress. I think, you know, for the victims to testify and to bring the truth to light. I think that when you bring celebrity and power together and try to mix it with the complexities of this case, maybe holding him accountable just couldn't come to fruition. It showed us that it didn't put him above the law, maybe just held him right at bay. Maybe this will shift the narrative slightly on how we talk about victims and survivors and abuse and take it seriously when people bring those allegations towards people in power.

[Ashley Banfield]

Well, let me read for you. Speaking of that, what Judge Subramanian actually said from the bench, because I thought this was pretty profound, and I want to get your reaction to it. The judge said, I want to speak to the strong women who came forward. Ms. Ventura and Jane, you've been through trauma we can't imagine. Ms. Ventura said it was forced sex and degradation. I want to say we heard you. You weren't just speaking to the jurors, but to other victims. You stood up to power. Those aren't just Words, you know, that's the record. This is a federal proceeding, and we just don't often hear something this strong worded. And the fact that Judge Subramanian used the evidence from the trial to sentence in the two charges that he was convicted of. What are your thoughts?

[Kim Goldman (continued)]

You know, my thoughts are I was listening to the blanking on his name. The attorney that was out front saying that he was found not guilty. It didn't happen. Well, not guilty doesn't mean that harm. Yeah. Not guilty doesn't mean that harm didn't occur. Not guilty doesn't mean that the crimes weren't committed. It just means that it didn't rise to the level that it needed to come back with a conviction. So I think it's important for people to understand that victims and survivors don't control the law. They don't control reasonable doubt. The only thing that they can control is their own truth and their own ability to come forward with it and, you know, and brace themselves for the attack and the revictimization and the trauma that continues as they try to bring it to the forefront so that people can continue to talk about abuse and bring awareness to it. And I applaud them the same way I feel about the Jeffrey Epstein victims. You know, I mean, it's really hard to go up against people that have millions and millions of dollars to be able to silence you and to keep chugging along. So I'm very proud of them.

[Ashley Banfield]

Yeah. Speaking of that, I have to do this all from memory, and it was several months ago, which at this age is hard for me. But, you know, Cassie testified that she was thrown into a bed frame. There were pictures of her with a terrible wound where she got stitches and plastic surgery and was holed up in a hotel and not allowed to see anyone until she healed. She was. There was a witness, one of the escort said that there was all sorts of fighting going on in the other room. And when they came back out, Diddy said, now finish strong. And he was so appalled by it, he lost his erection. So this is proof that something awful happened and there was force. When I asked one of the jurors about that, they seemed confounded. I said, isn't that proof there was forced sex, coerced sex? And they seemed confused. And I just wondered if you think this whole celebrity shiny thing in the courtroom made it hard sometimes for these jurors to actually come to a verdict of guilty on the sex trafficking and the rico.

[Kim Goldman (continued)]

Yeah, I think that, you know, as I said, that the power and Celebrity. When you mix it with really complex, you know, cases and, you know, rico. I'm not an attorney, but I understand that RICO cases are very hard to prove. It's very hard to have probably shown that he was, you know, the. The CEO of a big organization that was, you know, organizing all of these sex crimes. I mean, it really. I don't understand it. Listen, the jurors in our case didn't think that domestic violence would lead to murder. So it is very hard to understand in the mind of a juror and having to, you know, sift through all the evidence and sift through all of those things that you have decided in your brain makes sense. And then when they're shown in a different light, they suddenly get a little cloudy, and it's very hard to be able to dismantle power and dismantle the imbalance of power. I would love to serve as a juror. It will never happen for me, unfortunately. But I'm disappointed that it didn't get to the level that it could have. But again, I think not guilty doesn't mean that harm didn't happen. And I think we can continue to have this conversation for years to come and hope that we continue to talk about it in a way that makes it safer for people to come forward.

[Ashley Banfield]

The last time I talked to your dad, I asked him, I think it was about an anniversary that was coming up of something. And he said, you know, I think of these anniversaries more as X number of years without Ron. And so I just wanted to ask you, you know, how are you guys doing? How do you mark these really sad days?

[Kim Goldman (continued)]

I mark these sad days with honoring the people that are my support system. You know, honoring my brother, showering my fiance, my son, my animals, with love, my father. I pour my heart into my work. I'm the chair of the National. I'm a board member for the national center of Victims of crime. We're celebrating 40 years of serving victims and survivors across the country. I've been a nonprofit for 30 years. I'm a VP of Development for a health care facility here in Los Angeles. I write, I speak, I travel. I learn as much as I can to be as big of an advocate as I can. And I lean on the people that have been so wonderful to me in my family, but also across the country. And, you know, I do my very best to be the best sister that I can for my brother, who is the most important person in my life next to the remaining family members that I have. So every day is a new day and a new challenge. And grief is. Grief is a difficult process. Thirty years later, it is beautiful. And it's a way for me to honor my brother. And this is another opportunity to do that. So thank you.

[Ashley Banfield]

So we know that Sean Diddy Combs is headed to prison, but we don't know yet which one, which prison? Eeny meenie minimo. Right. And we don't know precisely how long he's going to stay there. Much of that is going to be up to him. If he's a good boy, you know, there's lots of things you can do to screw it up. There's lots of things you can do to get time shaved off your sentence as well. Today he found out four years and two months. That's like, that's it. Judge has spoken. Go ahead, appeal. I already heard that they plan and they think this was unfair. And I don't doubt that they'll appeal. But I also heard, you know, it's probably not going to, it's not going to fly the appeal. So if we do the math here, again, he's been in custody since last September, so he'll get credit for that. So like 12, 13 months. And again, he could get another 15% knocked off for good behavior if he keeps his nose clean. But either way, the wheels are in motion to place Diddy somewhere in the federal system. And not a whole lot of us know how those wheels turn or what goes through the prisoner's head at a time like this when, you know, maybe you weren't expecting anything and thought you were going to be in Miami next week. Earlier on my Banfield show on News Nation, I spoke with Michael Francis. He's a former capo in the Colombo crime family. And Back in the 1980s, Fortune magazine called Michael one of the 50 most wealthy and powerful Mafia bosses. And he's written a really great book and he's turned to God and he does a really good podcast and he is a wealth of knowledge about all things federal prison. So I wanted to know all things Diddy and federal prison, since jail is gonna be a thing of the past. Take a listen. Here's our conversation. Michael, thanks for being here. You were the first person I thought of today when I was trying to get my head into Diddy's head. He was not expecting to get time cuz he was making bookings, you know, appearances next week in Miami. What is on going, going through his head, do you think, right now, as he just heard, okay, you're stuck in this boat and you're going to go to another boat for at least two more years.

[Michael Francis]

Well, you know, I think his, his attorneys had to be realistic. There was no way he was walking away with time served on something like this. I had figured he was going to get five years, so I was pretty close. But, you know, I mean, obviously he's disappointed, although he really shouldn't be. I think, you know, a four year sentence here with already credit for the year or so that he has in. I think he did very well with respect to all of the drama and all of the circumstance around this trial. You know, there was a lot of bad stuff out there, and I'm not saying I'm not passing judgment on that, but it just looked really bad. And he could have gotten up to 10 years or 11 years. So I think the judge, you know, took everything into consideration. I think his family today made a very good plea for him, you know, and I think he did very well. That's my opinion.

[Ashley Banfield]

So in your experience, like your own experience and other, you know, inmates that you've seen go through it and then show back up at the, you know, the cell block, how do they take this? Do they bury their head in the pillow and cry or do they keep their head held high and just pack up their stuff and wait for their assigned new prison? Like, tell me everything.

[Michael Francis]

Well, everybody's different. I'm sure he went back with somewhat disappointed. So he's probably, you know, dwelling on that. Hey, it could have been differently. Maybe I should have gotten out. Maybe he's a little bit upset, a little bit angry. I get it. All those emotions come into play. But right now, you know, he's got to get ready. He'll spend a couple of weeks there until they designate him to a new facility. And he'll be a lot better off in prison than he is in the federal jail. You know, at least there you can move around and you got some freedom on the yard and things like that. You know, my thought is he'll collect himself, get himself together. You know, there are ways for him to improve himself. You know, they have, the Bureau of Prisons now has a drug program. And if you're allowed to get into that drug program, you can knock as much as 18 months off your sentence. Now, I don't know if he'll qualify, if they'll allow him to go in, but he'll probably start to think about, okay, what can I do to reduce my time? Now that's what everybody thinks. When you get in there, is there any way we can Better ourselves. He's thinking about what facility they're going to send him to. I'm sure he spoke to his lawyers and he asked his lawyers to put in a facility that's close to his home, close to his family. A low or medium level. I don't think he'll get into a.

[Ashley Banfield]

Can you though? Does your, does your request actually count? I mean I thought the feds just put you where it works for them. I didn't think you get a say in it.

[Michael Francis]

Well, here's the thing. The judge, you could ask the judge to recommend the Bureau of Prisons doesn't have to go along with the judge's recommendation, but it does help a little bit. They do try to sometimes satisfy the judge's request. You can put in a request and sometimes they'll honor it, sometimes they won't. You know, it's really up to them. They're not bound by anything at that point in time, so. But he's wondering now hoping which facility he gets into. I don't think he'll get into a camp only because he's high profile. Even though his sentence qualifies him for a camp. It's a low security, you know, sentence. But my feeling is he'll get into at least a medium because he's so high profile.

[Ashley Banfield]

Is the camp the lowest security and therefore more paddle and tennis and all the other things and what they call like you know, club Fed or camp cupcake?

[Michael Francis]

Yeah, they moved me to a camp by accident at one point. And you know, there's no fences or anything like that. And I wasn't there for too long cuz they realized they made a mistake and put me back in the medium security. But, but they tell you when you get there, listen, there's no fences. If you wanna leave, you can leave. But when we catch you, we're gonna add another five years onto your sentence. And while I was in that camp for two months each month somebody ran away. I mean they always try to do that, but yeah, he's thinking of that. Yeah, he's thinking of that. But you know, a medium security is not that bad.

[Ashley Banfield]

Quickly go back though, go back to that piece about he's high profile so he won't get a camp. Why wouldn't he? I thought in a camp nobody's gonna shank him cuz again they want out.

[Michael Francis]

You know, the overriding factor there, I believe is he's a guy with a lot of money. And I'll tell you, this happened to me when I went in there because of the profile I had, because of the way they wrote me up, you know, I had everybody and their brother in me trying to do a deal with me when I got out, you know, a business deal. They need money. You know, because of the fact that he's a money guy, I think he's gonna have more friends than he will enemies. And in a medium security, normally nobody's looking to shank you. When you get into the higher institutions, when people are doing a ton of time and there's no way you can benefit them, then you got a little more problem. But in a medium security, I don't think he'll have an issue at all. I really don't. He can be too much of a benefit to inmates that are always looking for something. And he could be a golden ticket for some people, at least in their mind.

[Ashley Banfield]

And so that's where we stand. Sean Combs probably laying his head back on his cot and pillow. And actually, I've heard they don't have pillows in the Brooklyn lockup, the federal lockup in Brooklyn, the mdc. Don't know how long he's going to be there because it does take some time to do pre sentence reports and get those all factored into, you know, how much of a danger is he? How much of a danger are others to him? Because he's high profile. What about his sentence and what about his crime? What about his proclivities, what about his past? All that goes into what kind of a, of a facility he's going to be sent to. And then as you heard Michael say, they may change that for what they would have given a normal guy. And they might put him in medium instead of the Club Feds, like the Camp Cupcakes, as I love the name. They may just say, you know, for his own safety, we need to get him into something that's, you know, more rigid. So they'll figure all that out. And then he will probably get on a prison bus if it's within bus distance, or he'll get on a prison plane if they got to fly him somewhere. But the world's his oyster. At least the American world is, right? Because the federal system has federal lockups all over the country. And I think it was Bernie Madoff who went to Butner in North Carolina, which made it real, real hard for his wife to visit him. Right? She was in Connecticut and she was left with nothing. Like she was broke ass taking the subway. She went from like Billionaires Row and living the most extravagant Upper east side life, the Hamptons and the yachts and all the rest to basically hoofing it on the subway and suffering to pay rent in a small condo I think in Connecticut that somebody helped her to get into. So wasn't like she was going to be able to get on a plane and fly down to visit her husband Bernie in the federal lockup in North Carolina. And you know, put it in the comments, if I made a mistake, I just remember he was, he was shipped off and it wasn't close. And then he died, you know, because he was an old guy. Anyway, he died and Ruth is still alive, living the most lonely life one can imagine. I've kind of gone off on a tangent here, but I often think of Ruth Madoff because a lot of wives don't know what their husbands are really doing in the office every day. They don't understand their business. And if she didn't understand any of this, she really is one of the big victims in this as well. Both of her sons are dead and her husband's dead and the name Madoff is shamed. And she is broken. Her life, as she's always known it is just shattered. So, you know, there's a lot of people who are victims of crime that aren't even just the, the victims of the criminal. I think about Diddy's kids, they didn't do any of this. You know, they're going to be without a mother because Kim Porter's dead. And they're going to be without their dad for three years by the end of all of this. I think, you know, with the year he's been locked up in the next two likely that he will serve. That's a lot for them. And a lot of people don't think of the perpetrators families, but I do because, you know, they're innocent. They didn't deserve this. So it's like that's what those perps do. They victimize a lot of people. Not just their targets. They, they've got a big swath all around them. People who suffer. So half million dollar fine, and then when he gets out, he's also got five years of supervised release. Okay, that might sound like whatever. It's not whatever, like it's parole, right? Like you've gotta, you've gotta probably check in with your parole officer every couple of weeks. You gotta get a job. I don't think that'll be hard. And you can't have weapons or alcohol or drugs. You can't be in bars or establishments. That's gonna be hard for Diddy because that was his life. Right. I don't even know if he could have any of those big parties anymore. Certainly he can't host them. Is he gonna have premieres for any of his, you know, functions or his clothing lines, if he's even gonna have a business afterwards. Can't be around the serving of booze. Things are going to be really different for him when he gets out. And here's the big thing. There are a lot of people who will never, ever forget what they heard he did to women. Whether he was convicted or acquitted, that stuff happened. The jury didn't say it didn't happen. They just didn't think it was rico. They just didn't think it was sex trafficking. It ain't that it didn't happen. It ain't that he didn't beat the living out of women. It ain't that he didn't sit in a corner and masturbate while he forced his women to have sex with male escorts covered in baby oil. It ain't that that didn't happen. And people shouldn't forget that. That is diddy. I was really upset when I saw people celebrating outside of a courthouse. You do remember what he did to those women, right? Even that he wasn't convicted of it. You do remember that he beat the shit out of Cassie in a hotel hallway, Right? So that will be a legacy that I hope we all remember. If you're thinking about going to his parties or if he's about to sell things again, I hope that we do remember. That's the guy. And there are consequences for your actions, even if it isn't prison. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Thank you so much for being here for this. I appreciate you listening, I appreciate you watching. I'm Ashley Banfield. And remember, the truth isn't just serious, it's drop dead seriously.