Sean “Diddy” Combs will stay behind bars as he awaits his May 2025 trial on sex-trafficking charges. A U.S. District Judge rejected his bid for release on $50 million bail. The ruling came after a two-hour hearing on November 22 in Manhattan federal court, where Combs’ legal team argued for his release.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who heard the case, said this in a written order. This is the fourth time that Combs has been denied bail, with previous rulings raising concerns over potential witness tampering.
Sex-Trafficking Allegations and Charges
The music mogul has been charged with serious crimes, including using his business empire, which includes Bad Boy Entertainment, to sexually abuse women. Combs, 55, pleaded not guilty on September 17 to charges involving the exploitation of women for recorded sexual performances, referred to as “freak offs,” with male sex workers. Prosecutors claim these acts involved the transportation of individuals across state lines.
Defense’s Case for Release
Combs’ defense team sought his release, suggesting he be confined to an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. They argued that he would be monitored by private security personnel and placed under restrictions preventing contact with alleged victims or witnesses.
However, prosecutors argued that these steps would not keep Combs from contacting or intimidating witnesses. They referenced previous instances in which Combs had broken jail policies, such as using the identification numbers of other inmates to make calls, which made claims that he could be trusted to follow release conditions unfounded.
Concerns About Combs’ Past Behavior
Perhaps the most important point made by prosecutors was a 2016 hotel surveillance video depicting Combs attacking his then-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie. The video—the footage of Combs kicking, shoving, and dragging Cassie through a hotel hallway—was the evidence presented that Combs posed a risk of violent behavior if released.
“This video is evidence that the defendant is a violent abuser and that he’s a danger to the community,” prosecutor Christine Slavik said. She highlighted that Combs had a record of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of his intimate partners.
Defense Challenges Claims of Violent Behavior
The lawyer for Combs, Marc Agnifilo, dismissed that his client posed a danger. He maintained that Combs had never been known to be violent and insisted, “There’s a zero percent chance of that happening.” He admitted the hotel incident but said it has no bearing on the sex-trafficking charges. Agnifilo emphasized that the couple had a “toxic, loving 11-year relationship” and that the video should not be used to infer guilt on the trafficking charges.
A Long Legal Struggle Ahead
Combs is being detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits trial, which is scheduled for May 5, 2025. His attorneys continue to contest the allegations brought against him, arguing that the sexual activity described by the government was consensual. This promises to be a highly significant trial, with the public focusing on the gravity of the charges against one of the most influential figures in the music industry.
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