Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of witness tampering, intimidation; bail denied

Sep 19

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

A U.S. district judge upheld a decision on Wednesday, Sept. 18, to deny hip-hop superstar Sean “Diddy” Combs bail after accusations of witness tampering. Combs’ legal team claimed that the rapper could post a $50 million bond, but Judge Robyn Tarnofsky denied the request on Tuesday, Sept. 17. She said, even if bond were posted, she couldn’t “reasonably assure his return to court or the safety of the community, or a lack of witness tampering.”

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Authorities believe that Combs tried to silence people who might speak out against him. U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter Jr. upheld the decision to deny bail after an appeal from Combs’ legal team.

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Prosecutors said since being sued in November by his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of years of physical and sexual abuse, Combs has tried to get in touch with her and other witnesses who have received grand jury subpoenas, as well as a person he allegedly harmed. He reportedly called or texted one of the potential witnesses 58 times over a period of four days.

Prosecutors argue that Combs’ power and influence give him the ability to “intimidate” witnesses and victims. Prosecutors said that witnesses they interviewed expressed a fear of Combs.

Combs’ defense contends that he did not know he was under a criminal investigation when he contacted the witnesses and victims, and do not see it as an “obstruction of justice,” adding, that he is not a threat to flee and has “earned” the court’s trust.

Combs is indicted on accusations that he ran a “criminal enterprise” through his businesses, which involved sex trafficking, kidnapping, arson and forced labor. The indictment alleges Combs “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires.”

Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Tags: Crime, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Indictment, Kidnapped Americans, kidnapping, Music, Police, Police officers, Police raid, Racketeering, Sex abuse, sex trafficking, Sexual Assault, Trafficking

[KARAH RUCKER]

A DISTRICT JUDGE UPHELD A DECISION WEDNESDAY TO DENY HIP HOP SUPERSTAR SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS BAIL AFTER ACCUSATIONS OF WITNESS TAMPERING.

COMBS’ LEGAL TEAM CLAIMED THE RAPPER COULD POST A 50 MILLION DOLLAR BOND BUT JUDGE ROBYN TARNOFSKY DENIED THEIR REQUEST TUESDAY.

SAYING, EVEN IF BOND WERE POSTED, SHE COULDN’T “REASONABLY ASSURE HIS RETURN TO COURT OR THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY, OR A LACK OF WITNESS TAMPERING.”

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE DIDDY TRIED TO SILENCE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT SPEAK OUT AGAINST HIM.

U-S DISTRICT JUDGE ANDREW CARTER JUNIOR UPHELD THE DECISION WEDNESDAY AFTER AN APPEAL FROM COMBS.

PROSECUTORS SAY SINCE BEING SUED LAST YEAR BY HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND, WHO ACCUSED HIM OF YEARS OF PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE, COMBS HAS TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER AND OTHER WITNESSES WHO HAVE RECEIVED GRAND JURY SUBPOENAS, AS WELL AS A PERSON HE HARMED. HE REPORTEDLY CALLED OR TEXTED ONE OF THE POTENTIAL WITNESSES 58 TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF FOUR DAYS.

ARGUING HIS POWER AND INFLUENCE GIVES HIM THE ABILITY TO “INTIMIDATE” WITNESSES AND VICTIMS, PROSECUTORS SAY WITNESSES THEY INTERVIEWED EXPRESSED A FEAR OF COMBS.

COMBS DEFENSE CONTENDS HE DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS UNDER A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION WHEN HE CONTACTED THE WITNESSES AND VICTIMS AND DO NOT SEE IT AS AN “OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.” ADDING, HE IS NOT A THREAT TO FLEE AND HAS “EARNED” THE COURT’S TRUST.

COMBS IS INDICTED ON ACCUSATIONS HE RAN A “CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE” THROUGH HIS BUSINESSES– WHICH INVOLVED SEX TRAFFICKING, KIDNAPPING, ARSON, AND FORCED LABOR.

COMBS HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.

WE’LL BE SURE TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING THIS STORY– AND YOU CAN TOO– JUST DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.