*Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team has submitted a third appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, seeking his release before trial.
The appeal disputes the Southern District of New York’s previous rulings that denied bail, based on claims of obstruction of justice and witness tampering, Page Six reports. Combs’ attorneys argue there is insufficient evidence to justify his detention, requesting his immediate release under suitable bail conditions.
The 54-year-old father of seven is facing numerous accusations of sexual assault by women and men. He is currently being held without bond in a Brooklyn jail following his arrest last month on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Per Page Six, prosecutors claimed Diddy “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct” for decades, “creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in … sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
Combs pleaded not guilty and denied all accusations against him. He remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, awaiting trial. As collateral, the hip-hop star offered his $48-million Miami mansion and his mother’s house as a $5 million bond. He is also willing to wear a GPS monitor and restrict his travel to Miami and New York.
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Prosecutors noted that Diddy’s wealth makes him a potential flight risk. They’re also concerned that if he were released from jail, he might attempt to intimidate witnesses and interfere with the case.
In the latest filing, Combs’ attorneys point to legal mistakes in the court’s decision to twice deny his appeal for pretrial release.
The disgraced music mogul faces a minimum of 15 years in prison if convicted.
We reported earlier that a team of lawyers plan to file 120 sexual assault lawsuits against Combs in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami in the coming weeks.
Attorney Andrew Van Arsdale described the forthcoming lawsuits as “unprecedented in scope,” The Washington Post reports. The allegations involve both male and female victims aged between 9 and 38 at the time of the alleged assaults, which occurred over 20 years during the 2000s and 2010s.
READ MORE: Try, Try, Again: Sean Combs’ Lawyers Appeal Detention – Seeking R
