Sean "Diddy" Combs' attorneys filed a motion on Tuesday urging a federal judge to release the music mogul from jail on a $50-million bond. This comes weeks after Combs was found not guilty of the most serious charges in his recent federal sex crimes trial. His sentencing is set for October 3.
In the filing, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo described jail conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as hazardous. He argued that Combs' continued detention is unjust, noting that others convicted of similar prostitution-related offenses are typically granted bail before sentencing.
"Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct," Agnifilo wrote. "He may be the only person in a U.S. jail today for being a john." The U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, which brought the charges, declined to comment on the motion.
The 55-year-old rapper and entrepreneur was acquitted on July 2 of three major charges: sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. These charges could have led to a life sentence. However, the jury convicted him on two lesser counts related to transporting individuals for prostitution purposes. Each carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years, though sentencing guidelines suggest a lighter punishment.
Diddy's legal team is pushing for his pre-sentencing release, arguing that the punishment does not fit the charges for which he was convicted. The court has yet to rule on the motion.
