Diddy’s Baby-Oil Defense

Illustration: Elizabeth Williams/AP Photo

The federal criminal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs is overwhelmingly likely to end with the fallen hip-hop mogul’s conviction. The charges, brought by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, are serious: a wide-ranging racketeering conspiracy (including allegations of arson, kidnapping, and drug trafficking) and various sex-trafficking offenses. The evidence, including testimony from four alleged victims and surveillance video of a vicious physical assault, seems sound.