Diddy’s Lawyers Petition for Music Mogul to Appear in Court Without Restraints.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is asking to be allowed to appear unshackled during his upcoming court hearing and for all future court dates. The 55-year-old music mogul's request was submitted by his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, in a late-night motion on Monday, November 18, ahead of Combs' scheduled court appearance on Tuesday, November 19.
Agnifilo stated, “We are writing on behalf of our client, Mr. Sean Combs, to respectfully ask the Court to instruct the United States Marshals Service to remove the shackles from Mr. Combs before he is brought into the courtroom for tomorrow's hearing and for all future court appearances.”
He referenced Combs' last court appearance on Thursday, October 10, where he was seen in leg shackles, which Agnifilo argued was “without any justification.” Agnifilo expressed concern that having Combs appear in shackles could lead to "juror bias." He noted, “Given the media coverage surrounding the pretrial proceedings in this case, there is a significant risk that potential jurors will become aware of the shackling through the press and form a bias.”
Combs' lawyer contended that having his client restrained during court sessions "hinders the accused's ability to communicate with his attorney" and undermines the "respectful treatment of defendants." The most recent motion was submitted as Combs is set to appear in court on Tuesday, November 19, facing charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. In court filings dated Friday, November 15, prosecutors alleged that Combs breached jail regulations by attempting to sway a potential jury while in custody in Brooklyn through a "non-authorized third-party messaging service."
Related: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Accused of Sexual Abuse of 9-Year Old
They further asserted that he utilized this service to reach out to several individuals and even involved his children in launching a "social media campaign" around his birthday, among other activities. These claims follow the denial of Combs' latest bail motion submitted on Friday, November 8, where he argued that new evidence warranted his release prior to trial. In the bail motion Combs' legal team referenced the original indictment against the rapper, which focused on his purported "freak offs." They pointed to a March 2016 video included in the indictment that allegedly depicted the Bad Boy Records founder assaulting a woman in a Los Angeles hotel.
"The video does not serve as proof of a coerced 'freak off,' but instead offers a brief look into a complicated yet consensual relationship spanning over a decade between Mr. Combs and Victim 1," Combs' attorneys stated in the motion. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his legal team had previously suggested a $50 million bail package. His trial is set to take place in May 2025.
