Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will not be released on bail. The judge rejected that request on Monday. His lawyers had proposed a bail of 50 million dollars (over 43 million euros) so that the rapper could await his conviction in freedom.
Combs was convicted in June of transporting his two ex-girlfriends for the purpose of engaging them in prostitution. He was acquitted of more serious charges, such as extortion, conspiracy, and human trafficking.
According to his lawyers, given the acquittal of the serious offenses, it is unfair that Diddy remains in custody until a sentence is pronounced. “He is currently the only person in the United States who is incarcerated for this type of offense,” one of his counsel said earlier.
The judge responded on Monday that this argument would work “in a case where there was no evidence of violence, coercion, and oppression in connection with the prostitution activities in question.” The judge emphasizes that in this case there is evidence “of all three,” reports news agency Reuters.
Diddy has always maintained that he is not guilty. According to the rapper, his girlfriends participated voluntarily in the sexual activities. The artist will hear his sentence on October 3. He may have to spend twenty years in prison.