Diddy Waives Bail Appeal
Sean “Diddy” Combs voluntarily waived his bail appeal, meaning he will remain in prison until his 2025 trial.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
The rap mogul has pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with racketeering and sex trafficking, and his federal criminal trial is set to begin May 5 next year.
Diddy, through his legal representatives, has to date denied all allegations made against him. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
He has been held in a federal prison in Brooklyn since his arrest on September 16 and has been repeatedly refused bail, with the first refusal coming after he offered bail of $50 million (£38.4 million). He was subsequently reportedly placed on suicide watch.
Last month, Combs was denied bail for a third time, with a judge saying “the government has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions can reasonably guarantee the safety of the public.”
Although Combs’ legal team had already pursued a bail appeal in the Second Circuit, they filed papers on Friday (Dec. 13) to dismiss the appeal. Per Rolling Stone, court documents noted: “Mr. Combs does not seek to appeal the district court’s denial of his renewed petition and hereby moves to voluntarily dismiss the appeal.”
Another reason for the denial of bail stems from prosecutors’ allegations that Combs tried to abuse prison resources to influence witnesses in his case and coerced at least eight other inmates into using his phones.
Earlier this month, he and his team attempted to gain access to a laptop at his detention center to assist in his defense, with attorney Mark Agnifilo writing a request “that the court direct the MDC (Metropolitan Detention Center) to provide Mr. Combs laptop prepared for him by the government and allow him to use that laptop in his unit in the same way that other prisoners in his unit are allowed to use their laptops.”
Allegations and Lawsuits
Before that, last month, five more anonymous accusers filed another wave of sexual harassment lawsuits against him. Three men and two women claim the rapper drugged and sexually assaulted them during incidents in New York and Miami in 2001.
The charges follow Diddy’s late October indictment for allegedly drugging and raping a 10-year-old boy in 2005. Before this, it was reported that more than 120 people came forward with new charges, including 25 minors.
At the same time, Jay-Z is now accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 along with Combs. The rapper – real name Shawn Carter – was named in the lawsuit, which was originally filed in October, and Carter was re-named last Sunday (December 8).
The lawsuit was filed by Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee and alleged that Combs, as well as another unnamed male celebrity, sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl at a post-VMA party in 2000. So far, Combs has not pleaded guilty to anyone’s accusations, with his lawyers also dismissing the allegations as “blatant attempts to gain publicity,” adding, “Mr. Combs has never sexually abused anyone, either adult or minor, male or female.”
Per NBC News, the unnamed celebrity accused of involvement was revealed to be Carter, who has since responded to the allegations in a statement to Rock Nation which you can read in full below.
— Rock Nation (@RocNation) December 9, 2024
“Whoever committed such a crime against a minor should be locked up, do you agree?” Carter, who recently filed a motion to have the defendant’s identity revealed, wrote. “These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case.”
Carter brought charges against Buzbee, whom he called a “pathetic man” and “an ambulance chaser in a cheap suit” with no “honor or dignity.” Per CNN, the lawsuit alleges that attorneys representing the unnamed accuser initially asked Carter to “mediate to resolve this matter.”
The lawsuit continues: “Upon information and belief, Jay-Z responded to said letter by not only filing a completely baseless lawsuit, but also orchestrating a conspiracy of harassment, intimidation, and intimidation against plaintiff’s attorneys, their families, employees, and former associates in an attempt to silence Plaintiff from mentioning Jay-Z here.”
“This attempt was intended to frighten the plaintiff and discredit her lawyer. This attempt failed. Indeed, plaintiff chose to file this amendment as a result of Carter’s egregious conduct.”
“My only heartbreak is for my family,” Carter continued in his statement. “My wife and I will have to sit down our children, one of whom is at an age where her friends will definitely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”
https://t.co/3JJ9SoT4eL pic.twitter.com/o8lW4ywWWz
— Rock Nation (@RocNation) December 14, 2024
After reports of inconsistencies in the charges, Carter issued a statement NBC News yesterday (December 13). “That incident never happened,” Carter said, “and yet he filed a lawsuit and doubled down on the media attention. True justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. It was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but soon.”
For more help, advice or more information about sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit Charity website Rape Crisis. In the USA visit RAIN.
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