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Sean "Diddy" Combs has issued a sincere apology to his victims, including his former girlfriends and employees, for all the pain and chaos he's caused over the years.
The beleaguered artist sent a four-page letter to Judge Arun Subramanian on Thursday, October 2, just hours before his sentencing hearing. He starts his apologetic message by taking responsibility for his past mistakes and declares he's "no longer running from them."
"I am so sorry for the hurt that I caused, but I understand that the mere words 'I’m sorry' will never be good enough as these words alone cannot erase the pain from the past," he wrote.
"Over the past thirteen months, I have had to look in the mirror like never before," he continued. "My pain became my teacher. My sadness was my motivator. I have to admit, my downfall was rooted in my selfishness."
Combs shifted his focus toward his ex-girlfriend, Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, whose bombshell lawsuit triggered the massive snowball effect of his legal issues. He explained that the images of him assaulting Cassie haunt him daily and said he was "dead wrong" for harming the woman he once loved. He also addressed his other former girlfriend, "Jane," who also testified during his trial. He said he realized how much he hurt her after hearing her testimony in court.
"My domestic violence will always be a heavy burden that I will have to forever carry," Combs wrote. "The remorse, the sorrow, the regret, the disappointment, the shame. I honestly feel sorry for something that I couldn't forgive someone else for: if they put their hands on one of my daughters. This is why it is so hard for me to forgive myself. It is like a deep wound that leaves an ugly scar."
Combs is asking for mercy from Judge Subramanian. He said the past year in jail changed him significantly and boasted that he's happy to be sober for the first time in 25 years. The Bad Boy Records founder was convicted on two charges of violating the Mann Act, which holds a maximum of 10 years in prison per count. Prosecutors have asked for 11 years behind bars, while the artist's attorneys have asked for 14 months plus time served. Combs' sentencing hearing is set for 10 a.m. in New York City. He's expected to speak in open court for the first time.