On September 18, a Manhattan federal court denied Sean “Diddy” Combs bail once more and ordered his transport to Brooklyn for trial.
The rapper was jailed after his September 17 federal court arraignment in Manhattan denied bail. An extra judge denied bail on Wednesday.
Combs’ counsel appealed the judge’s bail denial the next afternoon. Combs’ lawyers told the judge on September 17 that the Metropolitan incarceration Centre in Brooklyn was “horrific” and “not suitable for pre-trial detention.”
The Wednesday defence revealed that Combs lives alone in Florida with 24/7 security surveillance and a pre-approved guest list. His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said he will give up his phone and internet to prepare for trial.
Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. said “there is no condition or combination of conditions to ensure he will not obstruct justice or tamper with witnesses.”
As the court ruled, Combs watched the defence table in his Tuesday bail hearing black shirt and grey striped trousers.
On Tuesday, the Southern District of New York indicted Combs for racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or compulsion, and prostitution transportation in a 14-page indictment.
Assistant District Attorney Emily A. Johnson called Combs a serial abuser, citing a pattern of violence and law enforcement’s lack of deterrent during Tuesday’s court proceedings. “He poses a significant risk to the community,” she said.
An indictment obtained alleges that Combs encouraged women to participate in “freak offs,” “meticulously planned performances,” which he “organised, directed, engaged in, and frequently recorded electronically
The accusation states that the clandestine recordings were used to maintain the victims’ compliance and discretion, endangering their professional and financial careers if they opposed Freak Offs.
The indictment asserts that freaks have caused harm to women. It is reported that Combs engaged in physical violence, including hitting, kicking, throwing objects at, and dragging victims, at times by their hair, resulting in injuries that required days or weeks to heal.
Johnson informed the judge on Tuesday that the singer exhibits a tendency towards violence with minimal provocation and that the “freakoffs” are fundamental to the case.
The prosecutors reported conducting interviews with more than 50 witnesses, a significant number of whom observed the purported violence. Additionally, law enforcement collected over 90 technological devices, including cell phones, laptops, iCloud accounts, and thumb drives, to substantiate the indictment.
According to Johnson’s statement on Tuesday, law enforcement reportedly discovered three disassembled AR15 rifles with the serial numbers obliterated during raids conducted in March at his residences in Florida and California.
Authorities reported the discovery of more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, utilised in unconventional activities.
Johnson drew parallels between the rapper’s situation and those of R. Kelly, Jeffrey Epstein, and Keith Raniere during the court proceedings on Tuesday.
Agnifilo, who served as counsel for Raniere during the 2019 Brooklyn federal trial, characterised Combs’ case as significantly distinct, informing the judge that Combs faces no allegations of sexual abuse involving minors.
He stated that the musician ought not to be subject to stigma regarding his sexual urges, as the parties involved were consenting adults.
Does this constitute sex trafficking? Agnifilo enquired on Tuesday. “Attendance is contingent upon the interest of all parties involved.”
“The involvement of the federal government in our personal lives does not yield a net benefit for all,” he stated, gesturing towards the artist in the courtroom, flanked by two U.S. Marshals. “An assessment is being made in this individual’s private space.”
On Tuesday, Agnifilo proposed a $50 million bond with the rapper’s $48 million home as collateral. According to his attorney, the rapper had fully paid off the house before the allegation.
Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky approved bail for Combs on Tuesday, referencing his “substance abuse and apparent anger issues,” resulting in his incarceration.
She remarked, “I am uncertain whether you can rely on your own judgement” to avoid causing harm to others.
On Tuesday, as Combs left the courtroom with the assistance of two U.S. Marshals, he made a gesture toward his family who were sitting in the third row and placed his hand over his heart.