Sean “Diddy” Combs is once more requesting to be released from jail before his criminal trial, scheduled for May 2025.

On Friday, Combs’ legal team submitted a new motion for his release from Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. They presented what they described as “an extremely substantial, comprehensive bail package.” Previously, several judges had rejected his requests for bail.

Federal court documents reviewed by YSL News indicate that Combs’ attorneys have added further conditions to their bail proposals to demonstrate that he is not a flight risk. They also disputed claims that he poses a danger to the public, arguing that the government’s case against him, including accusations of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transport for prostitution, lacks the strength they suggest.

His legal team contends that being in custody hampers his ability to prepare for the trial due to limited access to his lawyers and the evidence stacked against him.

Diddy’s Attorneys Offer $50 Million Bond, Home Detention and More

This motion represents Combs’ fourth request for bail prior to his trial, following two earlier requests made around the time of his charges and an appeal filed in September to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Similar to previous proposals, this latest one includes a $50 million bond backed by equity from Combs and his mother’s homes in Florida, 24/7 monitoring by approved security staff, restricted access to the internet and phones outside meetings with his lawyers, a pre-approved visitor list comprising select family members, and the surrender of passports for Combs and his family.

Combs has also expressed his willingness to serve “full home detention” at his $48 million residence in Miami or another suitable location in New York. Family visits would be supervised by his designated security staff, and Combs would submit to random drug testing as required.

The initial bail request met resistance as U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky and later Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. ruled that Combs would present a risk of witness tampering if released, regardless of the bail amount offered.

Last month, a federal appeals court judge, William J. Nardini, denied Combs’ plea for immediate release and referred the bail motion to a three-judge panel in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Combs’ Legal Team Claims Jail Conditions Hinder Trial Preparation

Combs’ attorneys maintain that the conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he has been held since his arraignment on September 17, are unsuitable for proper trial preparation.

They highlight that Combs has not received the “compliant” laptop they provided a month earlier, which is needed for reviewing essential discovery materials in preparation for his defense. His legal team contends that frequent lockdowns and searches at the facility impede their ability to meet with him and restrict access to basic supplies such as pens and notebooks.

“Even if Mr. Combs manages to get a laptop and his lawyers are able to communicate critical evidence and visit him daily, it would be unfeasible for him to go through the substantial amount of material under the current circumstances,” his attorneys mentioned.

Diddy’s Legal Team Challenges Government’s Evidence

Additionally, Combs’ lawyers assert that the “23.5 terabytes of discovery material” provided by the prosecution, which includes video evidence, is not as damaging as the government has claimed.

The partially redacted court filings appear to reference the existence of unspecified evidence linking Combs with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who accused him in a lawsuit filed in November 2023 of rape, abuse, and sex trafficking. In May, CNN aired surveillance footage from a hotel in 2016 that showed Combs engaging in violent behavior towards Cassie.

According to Combs’ legal representatives, new evidence disclosed by the prosecutors weakens their assertions that the recorded footage showed the aftermath of one of Combs’ “freak offs,” which they describe as forced sexual acts. The rapper’s defense has previously labeled the assault video as an indication of a harmful long-term relationship rather than a demonstration of sex trafficking.

During Combs’ bond hearing on September 18, prosecutor Emily Johnson stated that the incidents on March 5, 2016, are compelling proof of trafficking and serve as a recorded illustration of the defendant’s use of force related to a “freak off.”

Prosecutors have claimed to have interviewed 50 potential witnesses and victims, as well as acquired “dozens” of videos showing alleged freak offs by Combs. They have also reportedly sequestered over 130 devices, including phones, laptops, tablets, and iCloud accounts, in the course of their investigation.

Defense attorneys for Combs are also requesting that he be allowed to see his family, noting, “Sean Combs’s seven children and his mother provide him with love and support, and he, in return, needs to be there for them.  His youngest child, who is only 2 years old, hasn’t been able to see her father since his incarceration and is missing him tremendously.”

Diddy is denied another request for a gag order

On Friday, the judge in Combs’ federal case rejected the defense’s appeal for a gag order that would prevent potential witnesses and accusers from making public statements.

Although the defense requested an order to stop “prospective witnesses and their attorneys from making extrajudicial statements” that would “significantly obstruct his right to a fair trial,” Judge Subramanian noted that the law does not support such an expansive request.

He stated, “The requested order is overly broad, treats potential witnesses and their attorneys the same, and affects a number of ongoing cases.”

Subramanian continued, “Not all claimed victims will participate in this case, and a blanket ban on their speech would silence individuals who might never be involved in these proceedings. Furthermore, less invasive alternatives must be explored and dismissed before imposing any speech restrictions.”

In an earlier ruling, the judge opted not to impose a gag order on government authorities, whom Combs’ team accused of leaking information to the media. Instead, he emphasized that both parties must adhere to existing laws that prevent lawyers, investigators, and government officials from disclosing grand jury processes and sharing non-public information that could disrupt a fair trial.

If you or someone you know has suffered from sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is available for free, confidential, and 24/7 support for survivors and their families in both English and Spanish, at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org, or in Spanish at RAINN.org/es.