Accused sex trafficker Sean “Diddy” Combs was set to return to a New York City courtroom on Wednesday afternoon, where his lawyers will again push for bail and pre-trial freedom from “horrific” jail conditions.
The music mogul was arrested Monday night after a grand jury indicted him on three felony counts stemming from his alleged years-long sexual abuse of women, federal prosecutors said.
A judge on Tuesday denied Combs bail, but his lawyers are appealing and insist their client fits the profile of a defendant who shouldn’t be remanded into pre-trial custody.
Combs came to New York City to surrender to government agents before his arrest, defense lawyers said. This attempt to “self-surrender” is “something the court should consider,” according to Combs’ attorneys.
Furthermore, Combs said he shouldn’t be subjected to rough conditions at a federal lockup in New York City, citing murders and suicides that have occurred in that jail in recent years.
Courts “have recognized that the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn are not fit for pre-trial detention,” defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo wrote in a letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky.
“Numerous courts in this district have raised concerns with the horrific conditions of detention here.”
The government argued that Combs is a threat to the community, based on alleged violent acts detailed in the indictment, and a flight risk due to his immense wealth.
A grand jury indicted Combs on three felony counts: racketeering, sex trafficking and using transportation to engage in prostitution, court documents showed.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
