Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs on Friday urged a judge to grant him bail, asserting that the music mogul does not pose the community threat prosecutors claim. After nearly two hours of arguments, Judge Arun Subramanian stated he would issue a ruling on the bail petition next week. He also instructed both sides to submit letters by Monday noon outlining the conditions for Combs’ communications, following allegations that he attempted to influence the jury pool and tamper with witnesses.
Combs has been in federal custody since his September arrest. His trial, facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and prostitution, is scheduled to begin next spring. He has pleaded not guilty.
This marked Sean Combs’ third attempt to secure bail before a federal judge, after two previous judges ruled that no conditions could address concerns about alleged witness tampering and the risk he posed to women.
The judge questioned prosecutors on why Combs’ proposed $50 million bond, which included private security to monitor his phone calls and computer use, was insufficient for his release.
Prosecutor Christine Slavik argued that Combs had failed to follow jail rules, casting doubt on his willingness to comply with conditions outside of custody. She presented evidence that Combs had used at least eight other inmates’ identification numbers, participated in three-way calls, and sent unauthorized messages from jail.
“Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Slavik stated. She also claimed Combs violated a judge’s order restricting public statements, quoting a message where Combs allegedly said, “I just need one [juror].”
Slavik also pointed to Combs’ disregard for his lawyers’ instructions. She cited a conversation where Combs’ family discussed posting on social media to honor his birthday, despite being advised against it. When told by someone, “The lawyers say we shouldn’t do it,” Combs reportedly responded, “I don’t care. It’s my birthday.”
Combs’ attorneys proposed home detention with 24/7 private security to monitor his movements, arguing that the security measures would be more restrictive than federal custody, particularly in controlling his contacts.
The judge rejected the idea, stating that Combs’ Miami mansion, complete with a private boat dock, was “not going to work.” In response, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, suggested an alternative: a three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for Combs to stay in.
Attorneys for Sean Combs have accused prosecutors of altering surveillance footage they presented in court, which allegedly shows the music mogul attacking his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at the Intercontinental hotel in Los Angeles in March 2016.
Earlier this year, CNN published surveillance video from the hotel, offering multiple angles of the incident, edited to clearly depict the assault. Combs later apologized for his actions in a social media post.
Prosecutor Christine Slavik countered by stating that prosecutors had provided Combs’ legal team with cell phone video of the same assault, which was obtained from a grand jury witness. She argued that the cell phone footage matches the CNN video exactly, showing Combs throwing Ventura to the ground, kicking her, and dragging her. “That was not edited,” Slavik emphasized in court.
However, Slavik admitted that the government does not possess the original surveillance footage.
Combs’ attorney, Shapiro, argued that the footage actually depicted Combs trying to retrieve his clothes and phone, suggesting the context was important for understanding the sequence of events.
The judge interjected, stating, “There was dragging, there was kicking. There was shoving.”
Combs’ lawyers framed the incident as the end of a “consensual, long-term, loving relationship.”
Slavik, however, described the case as one of long-term abuse, stating, “This is a case about violence. The defendant has engaged in physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of his romantic partners for years.”
