NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs Lawyers made a third attempt Friday to persuade a judge to release the hip-hop mogul, but are awaiting a verdict. sex trafficking trial; But a verdict will not be handed down until next week as prosecutors warn of a “concerted effort” to disrupt his case in prison.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian submitted a letter fleshing out some of the arguments made by the defense and prosecution by noon Monday during a two-hour hearing in federal court in Manhattan. He later said he would rule immediately on Combs' bail request.
Combs' lawyers will have him await trial under 24-hour surveillance at his mansion on an island near Miami Beach or, after the judge scoffed at his location, at his apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. proposed.
Their proposed $50 million bail, secured by his Florida home, essentially amounts to putting Combs under house arrest rather than detaining him at a troubled location. brooklyn federal prison He has been in custody for 67 days since his arrest in September.
Combs' lawyers said that under the plan, Combs would be almost completely restricted from meeting or contacting anyone other than themselves. But prosecutors argued that no bail conditions could reduce Combs' “risk of interference or danger to others.”
While incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, Combs is accused of routinely violating prison rules, interfering with witnesses and attempting to corrupt a jury, prosecutors said.
“In effect, this amounts to the defendant paying to escape custody,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi Slavik told Subramanian.
Defense attorney Anthony Rico countered that it was inaccurate for prosecutors to portray Combs as an “outlaw who won't follow directions” or “an out-of-control person who needs to be restrained.”
Another attorney for Combs, Tennie Geragos, added that given the strict release conditions they proposed, “it would be impossible for him not to follow the rules.”
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. Suspected of coercing and abusing women For years, it has operated with the help of its employees and networks of employees, silencing its victims through violence and intimidation, including kidnappings, arson, and assault.
His trial is scheduled to begin on May 5th.
2 other judges was previously concluded Three judges on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals are considering the Bad Boy Records founder's bail request, arguing that he would be a danger to the community if released. A judge last month refused Combs' immediate release.
Friday's hearing was Combs' second court appearance this week. The judge on Tuesday blocked prosecutor It prohibited the use of documents seized from cells as evidence during a sweep of the entire prison for contraband and weapons.
Combs entered through a side door and waved to relatives in the courtroom, including his mother and several of his children, placing his hand on his heart and blowing kisses. He then hugged lead attorney Mark Agnifilo before taking his seat at the defense table.
Combs, who was not handcuffed or shackled, was wearing a beige guard's uniform and looked at documents in front of him, occasionally pulling reading glasses from his pocket.
Prosecutors allege that while in prison, the “I'll Be Missing You” singer orchestrated a social media campaign aimed at influencing potential jurors. They allege he has also attempted to leak material he believes could help his case and has contacted potential witnesses through third parties.
“Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Slavik argued.
In renewed calls for Combs' release, his lawyers sought to undermine the strength of potentially key evidence. It's a video from March 2016 that shows Combs punching and kicking his then-girlfriend. R&B singer Cathya hotel hallway in Los Angeles.
Prosecutors allege the assault occurred during a “freak off,” during which they allege Combs used his cell phone. “Power and honor” guide female victim He performed elaborately staged, drugged-up sexual performances with male sex workers.
Combs' lawyers say in court documents that the newly unearthed evidence refutes this, saying that the video, which first aired on CNN in May, offers “a glimpse into a complex but decade-long relationship” between Combs and Cathy. “It was just a few minutes of footage that could be used in a variety of ways.”
Slavik countered defense claims that the recordings were manipulated or cut out of context, arguing that Combs paid hotel staff $100,000 “to erase the original video,” prosecutors said. The side said, it does not have the full version.
“This is a case about violence,” Slavik told Subramanian in a final plea to keep Combs locked up. “The defendant has been physically, sexually and emotionally abusive to his girlfriend for many years. … He's been punched. He's been kicked. He's been dragged.”
