By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-19 19:12:45 | Updated at 2024-11-23 16:06:48
3 days ago
Lawyers for Sean 'Diddy' Combs have requested he be allowed to appear unshackled for the all future court appearances.
The request was filed by attorney Marc Agnifilo ahead of Diddy's scheduled court appearance in Manhattan on Tuesday for his sex trafficking and racketeering case.
'We write on behalf of our client, Mr. Sean Combs, to respectfully request that the Court direct the United States Marshals Service to unshackle Mr. Combs prior to bringing him into the courtroom for tomorrow's hearing and for all future court appearances,' the legal request said, as reported by People.
Agnifilo pointed out that Diddy, 54, was in leg shackles during his previous court appearance on October 10 'without any justification.'
The defense attorney claimed the shackles raised 'paramount concern' about 'juror bias.' He added the restraints also 'interfere with the accused's ability to communicate with his lawyer' and go against the 'respectful treatment of defendants.'
'Given the press attention on the pretrial proceedings in this case, there is a substantial risk that potential jurors will learn about the shackling through the media and develop such a bias,' Agnifio wrote.
A hearing was set for Tuesday after Diddy's lawyers accused prosecutors on Monday of engaging in 'outrageous government conduct' by using materials seized from his jail cell to try to keep him incarcerated before a May trial.
Lawyers for Sean ' Diddy ' Combs have requested that he be allowed to appear unshackled for the all future court appearances
Diddy is seen accompanied by attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Anthony Ricco, and with his mom seated in the back, at a hearing on October 10. He was shackled throughout the hearing
'This is a matter of grave concern that, most respectfully, must be addressed immediately,' the lawyers told Judge Arun Subramanian, who already has scheduled a bail hearing for Friday for Diddy.
They requested an 'immediate hearing' so prosecutors can explained who authorized the search of the rapper's cell, where personal effects and paperwork were seized.
Later Monday, prosecutors responded to the claims with a letter to the judge saying that the inspection of Diddy's cell was part of a jail-wide, safety-related sweep unrelated to him or his prosecution.
They said the search was planned before the music mogul was arrested and was properly carried out with an investigator who entered Diddy's cell and decided to not examine a manila envelop labeled 'legal' that was in the cell.
The rapper has been accused of arranging 'Freak Offs,' described as 'elaborate and produced sex performances'
They added that any potentially privileged materials were viewed first by a 'filter team' of government lawyers not working on the case. The team was tasked with weeding out any confidential communications protected by attorney-client privilege so that trial prosecutors couldn't see them.
Diddy has been held since his September arrest on charges that he coerced and abused women for years with the aid of a network of associates and employees. An indictment accuses him of silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently seeking to be freed to house arrest through a $50 million bail package.
On Friday, prosecutors said Diddy has been trying to dodge scrutiny of his jailhouse communications while orchestrating social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool and trying to publicly leak materials he views are helpful to his case. They said he also has contacted witnesses through third parties.
