(NewsNation) — The judge in music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs trial is expected to issue a ruling on bail after Combs appeared in court for a pretrial hearing on Friday.
Combs has been detained for more than two months after being charged with racketeering, sex trafficking by force and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He was denied bail in September when the indictment was unsealed and again earlier in November as the judge deemed him a flight risk due to his money and connections.
Combs attorneys are arguing that the technology available to him in jail is inadequate for him to prepare for his May trial given the volume of discovery and that he should be released. They have proposed conditions including using a GPS monitor and putting one of his mansions up as collateral.
Prosecutors argue that Combs has been attempting to intimidate witnesses from behind bars and would continue to do so if he were released on bail.
One argument before the judge includes handwritten notes found in Combs’ cell. The notes have the word “legal” written on the top, and his lawyers are arguing they are privileged communication and can’t be introduced.
Prosecutors have pushed back, saying that writing “legal” on something isn’t enough to have it covered under attorney-client privilege.
On Thursday, Combs argued that a video of him allegedly attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 was edited and not an accurate portrayal of what happened at the Los Angeles Hotel.
Prosecutors have pointed to the video as evidence of Combs trafficking Ventura and an example of the danger Combs could pose to women if released on bail.
They alleged he was trafficking Ventura as part of a “freak off,” alleged events detailed in the indictment where Combs reportedly forced women to engage in sex acts with male prostitutes for an audience, with the events sometimes lasting for days.
Combs’ defense team argued that an edited video was not related to a “freak off” but showed a domestic dispute between the couple. Lawyers for Combs offered to bring a forensic video analyst to court Friday during arguments regarding Combs’ release.
In addition to criminal charges, Combs is also facing multiple lawsuits from women who say he abused them and forced them to participate in sex acts against their will.
