Rapper and record producer Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain behind bars this Thanksgiving after a federal judge denied his third request for bail.
Combs, facing federal charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, will stay in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, ahead of his trial on May 5 next year. The judge ruled on November 27 that no conditions would “reasonably assure” the safety of the community.
Combs’ legal team had previously submitted two appeals to secure his release, and at a November 22 hearing, his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, argued for his relocation to a Manhattan apartment under private security. Agnifilo suggested the rapper be confined to a three-bedroom unit on the Upper East Side, where he would be allowed only to contact his attorneys, and where family visits would be permitted.
In making the case for release, Agnifilo pointed to the recent case of Abercrombie & Fitch’s former CEO, Mike Jeffries, who faces similar charges. Jeffries, who has pleaded not guilty, was granted bail and is under home confinement with GPS monitoring.
Prosecutors, however, opposed Combs’ release, claiming he poses a danger to the community and is trying to interfere with the case. They argued that Combs has been attempting to contact witnesses and victims while in custody, using unauthorized communication methods, and engaged in “witness tampering”.
In a filing on November 25, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams detailed allegations that Combs orchestrated a social media campaign, including a birthday video posted by his children, to influence potential jurors. Prosecutors said this violated rules and further undermined the integrity of the proceedings.
Combs’ defense attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, responded, calling the social media posts “entirely innocuous” and asserting that Combs’ public statements are protected under the First Amendment.
