Sean “Diddy” Combs on Friday proposed a new $50 million bail package backed by his Florida mansion, giving the music mogul hopes of securing his release from a Brooklyn jail, where he is being held on eight counts of criminal sex trafficking charges. Kept for a week.
Combs has been denied bail three times since his arrest, with several judges citing the risk that he might tamper with witnesses. The rapper and producer pleaded not guilty on September 17 to charges that he used his business empire, including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment, to recruit female and male sex workers to participate in recorded sexual performances called “Freak Offs”. Had to be taken to the state level.
In another development on Friday, US District Judge Arun Subramaniam, who oversees the criminal case, rejected Combs’ request to bar his accusers from speaking publicly about the case. His lawyers had argued that the nearly 30 civil cases accusing Combs of misconduct or abuse were interfering with his right to a fair trial.
Combs, 55, has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued that the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.
In a court filing Friday, defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro asked Subramaniam to release Combs on a $50 million bond, which would be backed by his $48 million Miami home and several members of his family. Will be co-signed.
Shapiro also proposed that Combs be monitored around the clock by security personnel, placed under house arrest and have no contact with the alleged victims or witnesses. His trial is scheduled for May 5.
In seeking bail, Shapiro said the new evidence weakened the prosecution’s justification for detaining Combs. He said the evidence sheds new light on a 2016 hotel surveillance video that shows him physically attacking former girlfriend Cassandra Ventura, known as Cassie.
Shapiro wrote, “The video is not evidence of any forced ‘eccentricity’ but rather a minute-long glimpse of a complex but decade-long consensual relationship.”
Shapiro also said it is impossible for Combs to prepare for trial from behind bars because of the “incredibly overwhelming” amount of material to review, especially without a laptop computer. He also said that his preparation had been hampered due to prison conditions, including frequent lockdowns and even officers taking away the pens used to take notes.
Shapiro said the detention is taking away Combs’ “any real opportunity” to prepare for trial, a violation of his rights under the U.S. Constitution.
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