Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain in federal custody on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, after a judge on Tuesday refused to grant him bail.
When asked for a plea, Combs said “not guilty” — the only two words he uttered at the two-hour hearing at federal court in downtown Manhattan.
Prosecutors argued that Combs should be held without bail pending the outcome of the trial. Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, urged the judge to release him on a $50 million bond, which would be secured by property in Miami.
The judge, Robyn F. Tarnofsky, decided that there were no conditions that could guarantee Combs’ appearance in court. She said that she considered alternatives, such as home detention and the substantial bond offered by Combs, but ultimately concluded that “the presumption in favor of detention has not been rebutted” by the defense.
Before the judge’s decision, Agnifilo argued that Combs had worked toward earning the trust of the court by returning to New York from Miami “to turn himself in,” surrendering his passport (and the passports of six of his family members) to his attorneys, notifying the government of his domestic travel and attempting to sell his private plane, which the defense emphasized is a difficult undertaking and an “act of goodwill.”
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The prosecution rebutted those claims, delivering a lengthy argument that Combs is a flight risk, a danger to the community and a repeat obstructor of justice.
Agnifilo pleaded with the judge to trust Combs and to trust him in keeping an eye on the defendant. He also said that Combs is currently getting “treatment and therapy” in New York, arguing that detaining his client would prevent Combs from getting the “help he needs.”
“Everybody has flaws,” Agnifilo said. “Mr. Combs is not a perfect person.”
In her decision, Judge Tarnofsky addressed Combs and said, “I don’t know that you can trust yourself,” pointing to his history of substance abuse and anger issues.
In a detention letter, prosecutors said that the severity of the charges, combined with Combs’ extraordinary wealth, make him a flight risk. They also argue that Combs has impeded the investigation by pressuring witnesses to lie to law enforcement, and could tamper with the case if released.
“The defendant is dangerous and poses an ongoing threat to the safety of the community,” the prosecutors allege.
Combs’ lawyers have said that the prosecution is “unjust,” and that he has cooperated with the authorities.
“He is an imperfect person but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo said in a statement. “To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts.”
According to the indictment, Combs has engaged in violent, abusive and coercive conduct toward women for many years. He is accused of orchestrating multi-day orgies, known as “freak offs,” in which women would be coerced into having sex with male sex workers, sometimes on camera. The women would also be given ketamine and other drugs, and would require IV fluids afterward to recover, according to the documents.
Combs is also accused of hitting, kicking and dragging women by the hair, along with other violent acts. The documents claim that in 2011, he and an associate kidnapped someone at gunpoint and set fire to another person’s car with a Molotov cocktail.
If he is convicted, the charges carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years and could face life prison.
Picture: Getty