Sean 'Diddy' Combs, the hip-hop star facing charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, fraud, and transportation for prostitution, has filed a new request for bail in Manhattan federal court. This comes after two previous bail requests were denied following his arrest in September.
In the latest court filing, Combs' lawyers argue that changed circumstances and new evidence warrant his release from jail to prepare for his upcoming trial. The proposed bail package includes stringent security measures and severe restrictions on his communication.
The defense team is offering a $50 million bail package in an attempt to secure Combs' release from the Brooklyn jail where he has been held for the past eight weeks. They claim that new evidence undermines the government's case, particularly regarding a video allegedly showing Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend in 2016.
The lawyers assert that the video actually depicts a consensual relationship between Combs and the individual referred to as Victim-1, rather than a coerced 'freak off' as described in the indictment. They argue that the current jail conditions violate Combs' constitutional rights to participate fully in his defense.
Combs, who has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to all charges, is scheduled to stand trial on May 5, 2025. The defense team is pushing for his release on bail to better prepare for the legal proceedings ahead.
