Sean “Diddy” Combs has withdrawn his appeal to be released on bail, according to court documents filed on Friday (December 13). The voluntary release means the hip-hop mogul will remain behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn until his criminal trial begins in May.
“Mr. Combs does not seek to appeal the district court's denial of his renewed motion and hereby moves to voluntarily dismiss the appeal,” according to the document filed by his attorneys.
The filing comes more than two weeks after a Manhattan federal judge denied Combs' request for pretrial bail, saying there was “substantial evidence of Combs' propensity for violence” as well as evidence that he poses a “serious risk witness tampering”. Combs' lawyers had argued that the hip-hop star could be released on $50 million bail and placed under house arrest with “near total” restrictions. In response, prosecutors claimed Combs was trying to “subvert the integrity” of the case from prison and would continue to do so if released.
Among other arguments against Combs' release, the judge in the case cited evidence that the rapper had “initiated and had unexplained communication” with a witness who had been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury and likely violated prison rules since his indictment. September.
Combs is accused of running a vast criminal enterprise aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification”. Allegations include that Combs hosted “horror” parties during which he and other attendees would drug victims and force them to have sex.
Combs' trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 5.
