4 days Ago
NEW YORK, Nov 19 — Prosecutors in Manhattan have accused rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs of attempting to influence witnesses and public opinion ahead of his upcoming sex trafficking trial. The Mirror, reported that the allegations were revealed in a court filing opposing the 55-year-old musician’s latest US$50 million (RM235 million) bail proposal. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for next week.
Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to charges including coercion and abuse of women, maintains that his relationships were consensual and denies any wrongdoing. Prosecutors claim that while in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, Combs has engaged in attempts to sway witnesses. They alleged he has asked family members to contact potential victims and witnesses, urging them to create narratives to influence the jury pool and orchestrating marketing strategies aimed at shaping public perception.
“The defendant has shown repeatedly — even while in custody — that he will flagrantly and repeatedly flout rules in order to improperly impact the outcome of his case,” prosecutors reportedly stated in their filing. Prosecutors argue that Combs’s actions suggest an intent to blackmail victims or influence their testimony in ways favourable to his defence. Combs has been detained since his September arrest, and previous bail requests were denied by two judges who deemed him a flight risk and a danger to the community.
His latest bail request cites new evidence, which his legal team claims justifies his release ahead of the trial scheduled for next year. However, prosecutors contend that the evidence cited was already available to the defence during earlier bail applications. The filing also details Combs’s alleged violations of detention rules, including enlisting family members to launch a social media campaign around his recent birthday.
Prosecutors say Combs encouraged his seven children to post a video celebrating his birthday on their social media accounts, with the intention of influencing potential jurors. They further allege that Combs monitored the campaign’s analytics from jail and discussed strategies to maximise its impact on the jury pool. Prosecutors have urged the court to deny Combs’s bail, arguing that his conduct demonstrates an inability to adhere to conditions of release.
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