Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has asked a judge to release him on a $50million (£37.4million) bond as he waits to be sentenced in October.
The rapper and music mogul was found guilty on two counts of transportation for engaging in prostitution, but was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking earlier this month. He pleaded not guilty to all five charges.
Combs is currently awaiting sentencing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he has been held since his arrest last September.
In a court filing yesterday (July 29), Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo argued that conditions at the detention center are dangerous and noted that others convicted of similar offences were typically released before sentencing, reports Sky News.
“Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct,” Agnifilo said. “In fact, he may be the only person currently in a United States jail for being any sort of John, and certainly the only person in jail for hiring adult male escorts for him and his girlfriend.”
Prosecutors have previously insisted he remains a flight risk and should therefore not be granted bail.
It comes after reports emerged that Donald Trump has “seriously considered” giving Combs a full presidential pardon ahead of the rapper’s sentencing.
According to Deadline, Combs’ defence team had “no comment” on any pardon for their client while “the White House will not comment on the existence or nonexistence of any clemency request,” an administration official confirmed.
Insiders have also reportedly told the publication, a potential pardon has levelled up from “just another Trump weave to an actionable event” following Combs’ conviction.
It comes after Trump said that he would look into a potential pardon for Combs earlier this year saying he would “certainly look at the facts”.
The US President and rapper were once on good terms, each describing the other as a “friend” at various points in the past. But their relationship has soured in recent years, however, and Trump made reference to this at the time.
“I haven’t seen him, I haven’t spoken to him in years,” he previously said. “He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics that relationship busted up… I read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.”
Referring to a possible pardon, Trump added at the time: “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody is mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
Combs faces a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars on the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. However, he could receive less than this because it is a first-time conviction.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
