1 week ago
5
Rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs has applied for bail for a fourth time with very strict conditions despite having it previously turned down on three separate occasions.
A wave of lawsuits have been filed against Combs in which accusers claim they were the victims of sexual assault by him at parties and meetings spanning the last two decades which Combs has denied.
Combs remains in jail in Brooklyn having pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, along with accusations he coerced and abused women and used blackmail and violence to silence his victims, on September 17.
After being rejected bail three times, Combs has submitted a new $50m bail package backed by his Florida mansion in the hope he will be released after being held there for the past weight weeks.
In a court filing on November 7, defence lawyer Alexandra Shapiro asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian to release Combs on the $50m bond which would be backed by his $48m Miami hone and co-signed by several of his family members.
Shapiro also proposed Combs would be monitored round the clock by security personnel, be subject to home detention and have no contact with alleged victims or witnesses.
Shapiro argued Combs does not currently have "any real opportunity" to be ready for trial violating his rights under the US Constitution.
Subramanian denied Combs' request for a gag order barring his accusers from speaking publicly after Combs' lawyers argued the civil cases accusing him of misconduct or abuse were affecting his right to a fair trial.
The latest lawsuits came on October 28 when the 54-year-old was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy in a hotel room in New York City in 2005 and that he assaulted a 17-year-old would-be contestant on the hip-hop mogul's reality TV show Making the Band in 2008.
Combs’ lawyer had denied the two new claims, along with all the allegations made against Combs so far, and has accused the lawyer for the claimants Anthony Buzbee, who is also representing other alleged victims, of seeking publicity.
"Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process," an emailed statement said. "In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone - man or woman, adult or minor."
Combs' trail is scheduled for May 5 2025.
Additional reporting by Reuters.
Sign up for our free indy100 weekly newsletter
How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
English (US) ·