Sean “Diddy” Combs will continue to be detained as he makes a third attempt for bail in his sex trafficking case, as ruled by a federal appeals court judge.
Circuit Judge William J. Nardini declined the rapper’s immediate release from custody while a three-judge panel deliberates on his bail petition.
The attorneys representing the 54-year-old, who is also known as Puff Daddy and P Diddy, filed an appeal to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals on September 30 after two judges denied his release.
Combs entered a not guilty plea on September 17 to a three-count indictment accusing him of utilizing his business empire, including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment, to transport male and female sex workers across state lines to participate in recorded sexual performances referred to as “freak offs”.
During his third court session since his arrest in September, Combs was informed that he is scheduled to stand trial on May 5.
The hip-hop mogul has been incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his apprehension.
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If convicted on the three counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, he faces a potential sentence of life imprisonment as well as a minimum term of 15 years.
Three weeks prior, during a bail hearing, a judge dismissed the defense’s $50 million (£38 million) bail proposal that sought to place the artist under house arrest at his Florida mansion, which would have included GPS monitoring and strict visitor limitations.
Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr stated that prosecutors had presented “clear and compelling evidence” that Combs posed a danger to the public.
He remarked that “no condition or set of conditions” could ensure Combs would not obstruct the investigation or threaten or harm witnesses.
The judge has since recused himself from the case due to previous affiliations with attorneys involved in the matter, according to Sky’s US affiliate, NBC News.
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Combs’ legal team contended that the judge had “endorsed the government’s inflated rhetoric” and determined Combs’ detention for “purely speculative reasons.”
“In fact, there is hardly any flight risk. He is a 54-year-old father of seven, a U.S. citizen, a highly successful artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, as well as one of the most recognizable individuals globally,” the attorneys asserted in their appeal.
