NEW YORK (BN24) — Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs have asked a federal judge to release the music mogul on a $50-million bond ahead of his October 3 sentencing, following his partial conviction in a high-profile sex crimes trial earlier this month.
In a motion filed Tuesday, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo argued that Combs’ continued detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn poses a significant threat to his safety. Agnifilo pointed to conditions inside the federal facility, characterizing them as dangerous, and emphasized that individuals convicted of similar prostitution-related offenses are rarely jailed ahead of sentencing.
“Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct,” Agnifilo wrote. “In fact, he may be the only person currently in a United States jail for being any sort of john.”
Combs, 55, was acquitted on July 2 of the most severe charges against him — including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy — after a six-week trial in U.S. District Court. Those charges carried potential life sentences. However, the founder of Bad Boy Records was convicted on two lesser federal charges: transporting individuals to engage in prostitution, each carrying a maximum of 10 years in prison. Federal prosecutors have conceded that sentencing guidelines likely recommend a penalty well below the statutory maximum.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan declined to comment on Tuesday’s filing.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Combs used threats, force, and his entertainment business network to pressure two former girlfriends into participating in multi-day, drug-fueled sex acts with male sex workers, sometimes referred to as “freak-offs.” Combs denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty, with his legal team maintaining that both women willingly took part in the events.
Judge Arun Subramanian previously denied Combs’ request for pre-sentencing release, citing credible evidence of violence presented during the trial. The new defense filing argues that Combs’ time at MDC since September 2024 constitutes an “exceptional circumstance” that justifies reconsideration of his bond request.
Combs’ legal team further contends that his charges are atypical, since he was not alleged to have profited financially from the acts in question. They emphasized that his detention has exposed him to violence within the facility, including reported fights in his unit, placing his physical safety in jeopardy.
In response, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a statement that it “continually works to improve conditions at all of our institutions, to include MDC Brooklyn.”
Combs is set to appear in court for sentencing in the fall.
Credit: Al Jazeera.com
