Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail after the mogul promised to take weekly drug tests, ban women from his home, and have no contact with people who are considered witnesses if he was released from custody while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.
Judges Andrew Carter and Robyn Tarnofsky both denied Combs bail after his arrest on Sept. 16, agreeing with SDNY prosecutors that he was a significant flight risk, a danger to the community, and there was a clear risk of witness tampering. After the ruling, Combs was led out of court still wearing the same tracksuit bottoms and plain black T-shirt that he was arrested in.
The 54-year-old’s legal team filed their second appeal on Monday, Sept. 30., although the two-page document didn’t specify any arguments for why Combs should be released.
In a letter to the judge released on Sept. 17, SDNY prosecutors claimed that in the months leading up to his arrest, Combs had contacted both victims and witnesses in the case, asking for their “friendship and support,” and sometimes “gaslighting” them into believing “false narratives.”
Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo had presented to the court a significant bail package proposal, including a $50 million bond that would be secured by his $48 million Miami mansion, the equity in his mother’s Florida condo, as well as Combs’ passport and those of his four daughters. Agnifilo asked the court to “trust” Combs, pointing out the steps the Bad Boy Entertainment founder had taken in the lead-up to his arrest to demonstrate that he wasn’t a flight risk.
But Judge Tarnofsky referred to the severity of the charges against Combs and his apparent “anger issues” in denying his release. “Your lawyer asked us to trust you – [I don’t think] you can trust yourself,” she said. “Your lawyer can’t control you.”
The next hearing is set for Wednesday, October 9.
In addition to the original bail package proposal, Agnifilo had presented fresh restrictions that would address some of the court’s concerns that Combs presents a danger to the community and would attempt to contact victims and witnesses.
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Combs said he would agree to weekly drug testing after his alleged substance abuse was repeatedly mentioned by prosecutors, who claimed police found a pink powdery substance inside Combs’ five-star hotel room following his arrest. Results of the substance had not been confirmed, officials noted, but said it was similar in appearance to drugs they confiscated from his Miami mansion during the March raid that later tested positive for ecstasy and other illicit substances.
If Combs was granted release on house arrest, visitors to his Miami compound would be restricted, only allowing for “family, property caretakers, and friends who are not considered to be co-conspirators,” according to Agnifilo’s letter to the judge. Specifically, no women outside family members and the mothers of his children would be allowed to visit Combs. Additionally, Combs’ personal security would require “any person who enters the property to sign a visitor log,” which would then be provided to the court nightly.
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Speaking to members of the press after Combs was remanded into custody, Agnifilo said he would fight the decision to hold his client without bail. “Mr. Combs is a fighter. He’s going to fight this until the end. He is innocent,” the lawyer said. “We’re going to fight this case with everything we have.”
This post was updated on Sept. 30 at 6:00 p.m. to include Combs’ second bail appeal. It was previously updated on Sept. 18 at 5:15 p.m. ET to reflect the denial of Combs’ bail appeal.
