Federal prosecutors asked an appeals court to uphold a judge’s decision to deny Sean “Diddy” Combs bail in a filing on Wednesday (October 16). The prosecution said Judge Andrew Carter’s ruling was supported by “clear and convincing evidence” of why Diddy must remain in jail.
“In arguing that evidence of obstruction was ‘thin’ and that the Government ‘provided no basis to believe’ that Combs tampered with witnesses, Combs primarily quibbles with the strength of the Government’s evidence that Combs made inappropriate contact with Government witnesses,” prosecutors wrote in their opposition. “But Combs ignores altogether the serious and substantial allegations of obstruction, bribery and witness tampering charged in the Indictment as part Combs’ pattern of racketeering activity that amply supported Judge Carter’s determination … Combs’ longstanding and sophisticated methods of obstructing justice and silencing witnesses more than established his dangerousness.”
Prosecutors said they uncovered how Diddy engaged “methodical and sophisticated means to silence and intimidate witnesses” in their investigation. They insisted Judge Carter correctly determined Diddy was a danger to the community and a threat to witnesses.
“Combs often used loyal intermediaries to accomplish his objectives and wielded violence and blackmail, as well as his substantial wealth and influence relative to his victims and employees, to achieve compliance,” prosecutors contended. “Judge Carter therefore rightly concluded that the proposed conditions were inadequate because they would still permit Combs to ‘obstruct justice and intimidate witnesses’ through ‘employees and other individuals’ and ‘even coded messages.’”
They continued, “[Diddy] asserts that there was ‘not a shred of evidence’ that Combs used coded messages … As only one example, however, Combs tried to ensure a victim’s silence about her ‘sexual trauma’ by telling her that he ‘needed’ her and that if she ‘needed’ Combs too, she ‘ain’t got worry about nothing else,’ alluding to a promise of financial security in exchange for loyalty. While Combs asserts that this incident did not involve an intermediary, Combs then texted an employee to ensure that his financial advisor kept paying the victim’s rent. The evidence therefore supported the conclusion that even if confined to his home, Combs has the means and the influence to evade even seemingly restrictive bail conditions.”
Judge Carter was the second judge to deny Diddy bail after the Hip-Hop mogul was arrested on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges. A third judge rejected Diddy’s request for immediate release but referred his appeal to a three-judge panel. The appeals court is scheduled to hear his argument for bail on November 4.
Diddy remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His trial is set to begin in May 2025.