Nancy Grace Calls Diddy Verdict 'Rich Man's Justice,' Devastating for Victims

TMZ

Nancy Grace says Sean "Diddy" Combs is getting off easy for one major reason -- the cross-examination of Cassie Ventura and "Jane" ... but she's absolutely disgusted and "shattered" by the jury's decision to acquit him of sex trafficking.

Transcript

00:00Nancy Grace, welcome back to TMZ Live. We know you were watching. Your reaction the moment that

00:10the verdict came down? Well, I'm curious as to how you think I would have reacted,

00:15but I can tell you I'm shattered. I'm devastated. I feel like I got kicked in the stomach and in

00:22the teeth, and I'm sure that makes all of Sean Combs, aka Diddy's followers, happy. But I'd like

00:31to point out that there are other people much more devastated than I am. That would be his rape

00:38victims. They're devastated. And dare I speak for victims all across the country, they're devastated

00:48because it does show that there is rich man's justice, which is very different from what I

00:56believe justice is supposed to be. I think Sean Combs is guilty on all counts. And I'm sorry the

01:03jury couldn't understand the facts the way I understand them. And another thing, all the

01:11joyous rapture dancing in the halls of the courthouse, cheers erupting outside the courthouse,

01:17we haven't had sentencing yet. And when I read, for instance, your banner, shame on you.

01:28The banner should be Sean Combs convicted on two felonies facing a potential 20 years.

01:37No, no, not at all.

01:38What, what, what?

01:39No, no, no.

01:40Let me make the point.

01:43There was more serious sentences.

01:44They would never have filed these charges against him if it were just the Man Act. These charges,

01:52Nancy, were filed because of Cassie's lawsuit alleging what the prosecutors lost in this case.

01:59They never would have filed this case. This is a nonviolent crime. If committed in a state,

02:05might even be a misdemeanor. So to say that he was convicted and that's the headline is just wrong.

02:13You're right. He did get acquitted on the most serious charge. You're right. There has been a lot

02:21of ridicule heaped on the state. But I can tell you this, Levin, I've gone into court many, many times

02:28thinking I would lose. And why did I do it? Because I believe in trying to do what you believe in,

02:37what you think happened, what you think is true. I understand the cross-examine of Cassie Ventura.

02:45I understand what she said in some of her texts to pacify, to placate Sean Combs. I get it.

02:52And they crossed her on that and they won. You're right. Sean Combs acquitted on the most serious charge.

03:00And that would be RICO. How does this make you feel about juries and how they feel about women,

03:09about women who are testifying about being victims?

03:13It makes me feel horrible because how can I, with a straight face, counsel other rape victims

03:21to come forward? That there will be justice in the end. How can I do that after this?

03:29Don't worry. I am not giving up on the justice system. But yeah, I agree, especially on Cassie.

03:37And I'm not saying that Jane was lying, but I think Jane had much more to be cross-examined on

03:44than Cassie did. I know you're saying the jury got it wrong and how does it make other victims feel?

03:51But this was a 12-person jury that was diverse and they listened to the testimony. By all accounts,

04:01they took it seriously from everybody observing in the courtroom. When you watch it and 12 people

04:08come up with the same conclusion, doesn't it require a very big leap to say they got it wrong?

04:17Maybe for you. But I will say this. I think that the cross-examination of Cassie, especially with

04:25the texts, and of course the cross-examination of Jane, was very effective. And given the effective

04:34nature of the cross-exam, I think it weakened their credibility. Do I believe Cassie? I still

04:41believe Cassie. I do. I think she was raped. I think she was beaten and forced to go back into

04:47freak-offs. I think that happened. I believe that happened. And I will go to my grave saying that

04:53happened. But she, according to this jury, did not withstand cross-exam. Period. And while many people

05:03are taking great joy in attacking the prosecutors, the prosecutors had the balls to go in and try

05:10one of the most wealthy and well-known musical artists of our time. So yes, they lost on a couple

05:18of counts. They won on a couple of counts. And I predict there will not be an appeal bond.

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