Source |Diddy’s Third Bail Attempt Hearing Paused Until Next Week

Failure to stop will not stop bail attempts. Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team made a third attempt Friday to have him released from jail while he awaits trial on sex trafficking charges, but a decision on his bail request won’t come until next week. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who presided over the two-hour hearing in Manhattan federal court, said he would rule quickly after both the defense and prosecution present additional arguments by noon Monday.

What will you think, will bail be granted or no?

As you may have heard, Combs’ lawyers proposed a massive $50 million bail package secured by his Florida home; That would allow him to await trial under strict surveillance at his mansion near Miami Beach, or to wait in court after the judge rejected the idea. An apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The defense team argued that conditions would amount to house arrest, under which Combs would be subject to near-total restrictions on communicating and interacting with anyone outside his legal team. The proposal was aimed at keeping the hip-hop mogul out of the troubled Brooklyn federal detention center where he has been held for 67 days since his arrest in September.

Spending 67 days in that federal prison is no joke.

Get this, prosecutors strongly opposed the idea, arguing that no bail conditions could reduce the risk that Combs would obstruct justice or pose a danger to others. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik accused Combs of trying to manipulate the case from behind bars, citing repeated violations of prison rules, including efforts to influence witnesses and taint the jury pool.

“This really amounts to the defendant paying to get out of custody,” Slavik told the court, arguing that Combs’ behavior while in custody showed he could not be trusted to follow the rules.

Moreover, Combs’ defense attorneys, including Anthony Ricco and Teny Geragos, disputed this portrayal. Ricco argued that the prosecution’s characterization of Combs as a “vigilante” was unfair and erroneous. Geragos emphasized that the strict conditions they proposed for Combs’ release would make it impossible for him to break the rules, suggesting that the level of supervision would ensure he complies with all court orders.

To be fair, he’d almost be locked up in his own mansion.

Combs, 55, is no pushover and has pleaded not guilty to accusations that he coerced and harassed women over several years, using a network of associates and employees to silence his victims through blackmail, violence and intimidation tactics. kidnapping and arson. His trial is scheduled to begin on May 5.

As you might expect, despite the defense’s arguments, two previous judges had ruled that Combs would pose a danger to society if released, and an appeals court judge last month denied his request for immediate release. A three-judge panel from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is still considering his bail request.

Check it out, Friday’s hearing was Combs’ second this week. A judge had previously blocked prosecutors from using papers seized from Combs’ jail cell during a search for contraband and weapons. Prosecutors alleged that Combs tried to organize social media campaigns to influence potential jurors and leak materials that would help his defense. They also claim he used third parties to contact witnesses, further complicating the case.

“Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Slavik said during the hearing.

As the legal battle continues, all eyes will be on the decision to release Combs on bail, which could have significant ramifications as he prepares for trial.