Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs withdraws bail appeal, to remain in jail till May 2025

Los Angeles (The Uttam Hindu): Disgraced rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has withdrawn his bail appeal following which he will remain in jail until his trial in May 2025. The rapper had unsuccessfully requested for bail three times. He was first denied bail during his arraignment in federal court on September 17, one day after his arrest in a Manhattan hotel room on federal sex crime charges, reports ‘People’ magazine.

His second bail request was denied one day later on September 18 by a different judge, who cited concerns of witness tampering. As per ‘People’, his third and most recent request for bail was denied on Wednesday, November 27. At the time of the third ruling, judge Arun Subramanian of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York cited several reasons in the decision, noting that Combs is a danger to the community and the seriousness of the violent crimes he has been charged with.

As a result of Combs’ new motion, he will remain in jail until his May 5, 2025, trial. Combs has been behind bars following his September indictment, in which he was charged with sex trafficking by force, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy.

The indictment accuses Combs of being the ringleader of a "criminal enterprise" that allowed him to sexually, physically, emotionally and verbally abuse his victims for years. Combs "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct", per the indictment. He also stands accused of narcotics offenses, arson, bribery, kidnapping, forced labor and other offenses.

Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing multiple alleged victims, claimed that Combs is likely to be facing around 300 cases, as per the BBC. He estimated his team has received around 3,000 calls after he urged potential victims to come forward via social media and a press conference on October 1.

"I think that the potential [number of] cases is probably in the 300 range, but I think realistically, it'll ultimately be about 100 to 150", he told the BBC. About an equal number of men and women have come forward to accuse Combs of misconduct, with the accusations spanning over a 20-year period, the BBC reported, citing Buzbee. The lawyer has filed 20 lawsuits so far from men and women seeking damages from the rapper.