Lawyers: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs seeks trial next April or May on sex trafficking charges

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wants to spell to proceedings connected activity trafficking charges adjacent spring, lawyers for nan jailed hip-hop mogul told a judge connected Wednesday.

His penchant for a proceedings successful April aliases May was mentioned successful a associated missive successful which his lawyers and prosecutors advised a judge astir what they expect to talk astatine a proceeding connected Thursday successful Manhattan national court. Prosecutors said they will beryllium disposable for proceedings but did not specify erstwhile they want it to occur.

Combs, 54, has been locked up since his Sept. 16 apprehension on charges alleging that he has physically and sexually abused women for years. He has pleaded not guilty.

The indictment alleges Combs coerced and abused women pinch nan assistance of a web of associates and employees, while utilizing blackmail and convulsive acts including kidnapping, arson and beingness beatings to support victims from speaking out.

His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has said prosecutors are seeking to criminalize consensual activity that his customer has engaged in.

He has said Combs plans to clear his sanction astatine trial.

The missive submitted to Judge Arun Subramanian, who is expected to preside complete nan trial, contained nary mention of continued detention without bail for Combs aft 2 different judges successful abstracted proceedings concluded that nary bail conditions could guarantee nan organization would beryllium protected if Combs was released.

Late Tuesday, lawyers for Combs asked nan 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals successful Manhattan successful tribunal papers to reverse nan detention orders and licence his merchandise pending trial.

Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr., who has since recused himself from nan case, concluded aft a lengthy bail proceeding 3 weeks agone that prosecutors had presented “clear and convincing evidence” that Combs is simply a threat to nan organization because he mightiness obstruct nan ongoing investigation aliases tamper pinch witnesses.

Lawyers for Combs, though, based on successful their appeals papers that Carter had rejected a projected $50 cardinal bail package that would see location detention for “purely speculative reasons.”

“Indeed, hardly a consequence of flight, he is simply a 54-year-old begetter of seven, a U.S. citizen, an extraordinarily successful artist, businessman, and philanthropist, and 1 of nan astir recognizable group connected earth,” nan lawyers wrote.

They said Carter had “endorsed nan government’s exaggerated rhetoric and ordered Mr. Combs detained.”

In their associated missive submitted successful beforehand of Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors said they person begun turning complete to defense lawyers immoderate of nan “voluminous” grounds successful nan case, including portions of respective terabytes of worldly that contains electronically stored accusation from Combs and others.

Among items already turned complete are a complete group of hunt warrants successful nan case, on pinch a telephone of Combs that was seized successful March and reports connected 2 of his iCloud accounts, they said. Prosecutors told nan judge that nan authorities has begun copying complete 40 devices and 5 different iCloud accounts belonging to Combs.