Diddy to Appear in Court on Sex Trafficking Charges, Trial Details Unfold

Sean “Diddy” Combs makes his first appearance before the judge for his trial on sex trafficking charges. The 54-year-old music mogul will be brought from a Brooklyn jail to Manhattan federal court for the hearing. This hearing is scheduled for Thursday- according to The New York Times. Arun Subramanian is the judge in the case. He took over after another judge recused himself due to past associations with the lawyers involved.

Diddy who has pleaded not guilty to the charges is facing allegations that date back to 2008. Prosecutors allege that he abused and coerced women with the help of a network of associates and employees. The charges also include racketeering conspiracy and accusations of violent acts like kidnapping, arson, and physical assaults, reported CNN.

Combs’ lawyers have been pushing for a trial to start in April or May, but the hearing will set deadlines for both sides to submit arguments about the trial’s parameters, reported Fox News. Meanwhile, his legal team has been unsuccessfully seeking bail since his arrest on September 16. Two judges have ruled that Combs poses a danger to the community and could tamper with witnesses, according to NBC News. A $50 million bail package, which included home detention and electronic monitoring, was rejected by a judge three weeks ago.

Diddy’s legal team has appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They argued that the proposed bail package would prevent him from being a threat or contacting witnesses. They are asking to overturn the decision of the lower court. According to NBC news, Sean “Diddy” Combs wants to go to trial on sex trafficking charges next spring, the embattled hip-hop mogul’s lawyers informed a judge Wednesday.

The upcoming trial will likely be a high-profile legal battle in the entertainment industry as all eyes are on Diddy and fans are following their case updates.