Diddy Files 3rd Appeal for ‘Immediate’ Pretrial Release From Prison
UPDATE — 10/10/24, 3:43 p.m. ET: Sean “Diddy” Combs must remain in prison ahead of his sex trafficking trial, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled on Thursday, October 10.
The decision, confirmed by USA Today, comes after the rapper filed a third appeal for his pretrial release from prison. He is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His trial is set to begin on May 25, 2025.
Original story:
Sean “Diddy” Combs has filed a fresh appeal for pretrial release from prison, Us Weekly can confirm.
Diddy, 54, is currently behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, and filed the appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The new appeal is the music mogul’s third attempt, challenging two prior decisions made by the Southern District of New York. While it is unclear when the alleged appeal was filed, the outlet reported that it is “based on allegations of obstruction of justice and witness tampering.”
Diddy was placed behind bars at the prison, which has been described as “pure hell” by a prison consultant who spoke to Us, on September 17, following the rapper’s arrest on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering one day prior.
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The outlet added that Diddy’s legal team have requested “his immediate release on appropriate bail conditions, citing alleged insufficient evidence for detention and alleged legal errors in the court’s decision.”
Diddy’s charges are detailed as racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The alleged third appeal comes after Diddy filed a two-page notice of appeal on Monday, September 30, obtained by Us. The document sought to overturn a ruling by U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter, who flagged Diddy as a risk to witnesses involved in the case against him.
According to Variety, prosecutors also alleged that Diddy is a flight risk and his wealth could allow him to flee the country undetected.
Following Diddy’s September 16 arrest, a grand jury indicted him following a string of sexual assault lawsuits and a federal investigation. The 14-page indictment, which was unsealed the following day, accuses Diddy of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.”
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Diddy has denied all allegations against him and his attorney Marc Agnifilo defended him in a statement provided to Us at the time.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Agnifilo said in the statement, adding that, “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).