Diddy Seeks Release on Bail as He Awaits Trial

Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs are appealing a federal judge’s ruling denying him bail as he awaits trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Three weeks after the music mogul, 54, was denied bail a second time, Combs’ lawyer Alexander A.E. Shapiro filed a third appeal for pretrial release in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Tuesday, Oct, 8, according to documents obtained by TMZ and PEOPLE.

Combs has remained behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York since his Sept. 16 arrest. Although prosecutors have argued that Combs poses a flight risk, the Tuesday filing stated that he “was not released pending trial, even though he offered to comply with restrictive conditions that would have prevented any conceivable risk of flight or danger.” Combs previously told a judge that he would agree to wear a GPS monitor and limit his travel to Miami and New York. He also said he would sell his private plane, according to Page Six.

Shapiro also stated in the filing that the court “rejected a plainly sufficient bail package” for Combs and “violated its obligations under the Bail Reform Act.” Prior to being denied bail, the Bad Boy Records founder was willing to pay up to $50 million as bond, and had offered his $48-million Miami mansion as well as his mother’s home as collateral.

“Mr. Combs is presumed innocent. He traveled to New York to surrender because he knew he was going to be indicted,” the filing, which requests that Combs be released immediately on appropriate bail conditions, reads. “He took extraordinary steps to demonstrate that he intended to face and contest the charges, not flee. He presented a bail package that would plainly stop him from posing a danger to anyone or contacting any witnesses. Under the Bail Reform Act, ‘liberty is the norm, and detention prior to trial or without trial is the carefully limited exception.”

The Tuesday filing marks the third appeal for pretrial release for Combs, who has been indicted with one count each of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. He is accused of coercing women to participate in “freak offs… highly orchestrated performances” in which prosecutors claim he “arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded.” He allegedly used those recordings as “collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims,” who were sometimes injured during the freak offs.

He was firs denied bail by a federal judge on Sept. 17, with his legal team appealing the ruling. He was denied bail a second time on Sept. 18. At the time, Combs’ legal team said they once again planned to appeal and would “do everything I can to move this trial as fast as possible.”

Combs remains jailed at the Metropolitan Detention Center. He has pleaded not guilty to all charged against him. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 10.