Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has had his third bail application refused.
The rapper, 54, is behind bars at a notoriously brutal New York jail after being arrested on September 16 on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
So far, he has launched appeals to be released on a $50 million (R909 million) bond and asked to be released to be held on a private island ahead of his trial.
Combs’ latest bail bid was denied after a hearing on Wednesday, November 27, headed by federal judge Arun Subramanian was held following a bail bid launched by the performer during a court appearance on November 22.
The judge said while refusing Combs’ latest bail application: “The court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community.”
Prosecutors have argued Combs would potentially tamper with witnesses if released, alleging that the Bad Boy Records founder has tried to intimidate witnesses from behind bars.
They claimed in a court filing the “defendant’s goal is to blackmail victims and witnesses either into silence or providing testimony helpful to his defence”.
Combs’ defence team has claimed that the prosecution’s case was “thin” and have proposed a $50 million bail package with strict release conditions that would limit Combs’ ability to contact others beyond his attorneys and would require around-the-clock monitoring.
Combs denies all charges against him.
The bail denial came after Combs was hit with accusations he abused his staff members.
New accusations have now been brought forward by prosecutors in a letter to Subramanian, which alleges Combs targeted his staff and women with violence and threats to share sex tapes.
As part of court documents obtained by the “Daily Mirror”, the note states: “Often behind closed doors, the defendant engaged in acts of violence against women, including throwing them to the ground, dragging them by their hair, kicking, shoving, punching and slapping them.
“He manipulated, coerced and extorted women, including by plying them with drugs, threatening to withhold financial support and threatening to disseminate sex tapes that the defendant had made of their sexual encounters.
“He (intimidated) women, including by displaying firearms, threatening them, showing up at their homes unannounced and attempting to beat down the door — on one occasion with a hammer.”
Prosecutors added Combs’ staff members have “described the defendant threatening to kill them” and “throwing objects at them” – as well as being “struck, punched and shoved” by the rapper.
According to the “Mirror”, the letter stated that Combs has a 'history of obstructive conduct”, which they say is “part and parcel” of his “decades-long pattern of violence”.
Along with the federal indictment on which he was arrested, Combs has been accused of sexual assaults on more than 100 alleged victims, all of which he also denies.