Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team is taking his case to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in an effort to have him freed from jail.
On Monday, September 30th, Combs’ attorneys filed a notice of appeal in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, aiming to reverse a recent ruling that put the music mogul behind.
According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, Diddy’s legal team is seeking a decision to overturn Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr.’s rejection to release him on bail, which included a suggested $50 million bond.
The decision follows Combs’ recent arrest on September 16, where faces serious charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and facilitating transportation for prostitution. Despite pleading not guilty, Combs remains detained in the Special Housing Unit at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center while multiple civil lawsuits swirl around him.
Before submitting this appeal, Diddy’s legal team attempted twice to get him released on bond, but with no luck. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky, who presided over the first bail hearing, remained solid in her decision to refuse Combs’ release, citing worries about the threats he may pose outside of jail.
“I don’t believe that counsel has the ability to control you,” Tarnofsky said during the hearing. She pointed to Combs’ alleged struggles with substance abuse and anger management as significant concerns.
The judge added, “The danger, I think, is quite serious,” and concluded that the proposed bail package did not guarantee Combs’ return to court or ensure the safety of the public and witnesses involved in the case.
In the most recent attempt to secure Diddy’s release, his attorneys filed a letter to Judge Carter on September 18. They asked that he be permitted to post a $50 million bail secured by properties in Florida owned by Combs and his mother.
The defense team mentioned that Combs had already made himself available to authorities and even had his family, including his daughters and mother, surrender their passports.
However, Judge Carter denied the request, affirming Judge Tarnofsky’s first judgment. Following this, Combs’ legal attorney, Marc Agnifilo, promised to keep fighting for the music icon’s freedom.
“I told Mr. Combs I’m going to try and get his case to trial as quickly as possible,” Agnifilo stated outside the courthouse on September 18. He emphasized the harsh conditions Combs faces in the Special Housing Unit, calling the situation “inhumane.”
Combs’ indictment, unsealed on Tuesday, September 17th, indicated that state Homeland Security Investigations agents seized pills and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, which were reportedly used in Combs’ “freak offs” during the March 25 raids on Combs’ properties. Multiple AR-15 firearms and large-capacity magazines were also reportedly recovered.
