Sean “Diddy” Combs has tried to reach out to prospective witnesses and influence public opinion from jail in a bid to influence potential jurors for his upcoming sex trafficking trial, prosecutors claimed.
The accusations were made in a Manhattan federal court filing in which the prosecution opposes the music mogul’s latest 50 million dollar (£39 million) bail proposal. A bail hearing is scheduled for next week.
Prosecutors wrote that a review of recorded jail calls made by Combs shows he has asked family members to reach out to potential victims and witnesses and has urged them to create “narratives” to influence the jury pool.
They say he has also encouraged marketing strategies to sway public opinion.
“The defendant has shown repeatedly – even while in custody – that he will flagrantly and repeatedly flout rules in order to improperly impact the outcome of his case,” the filing claimed.
“The defendant has shown, in other words, that he cannot be trusted to abide by rules or conditions.”
Prosecutors wrote that it could be inferred from his behaviour that Combs wants to blackmail victims and witnesses into silence or into providing testimony helpful to his defence.
It is alleged that Combs, 55, began breaking rules almost as soon as he was detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York City, after his arrest in September.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with the aid of a network of associates and employees, while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.
Two judges have concluded he is a danger to the community and a risk to flee.
His lawyers recently made a third request for bail after the rejection of two previous attempts, including a 50 million dollar bail proposal.
In the request, they cited changed circumstances, including new evidence, which they said made it sensible to release Combs so he can better prepare for his May 5 trial.
But prosecutors said defence lawyers created their latest bail proposal using some evidence prosecutors turned over to them, and the new material was already known to defence lawyers when they made previous bail applications.
In their submission to a judge, prosecutors said Combs’ behaviour in jail shows he must remain locked up.
For instance, they said, Combs has enlisted family members to plan and carry out a social media campaign around his birthday “with the intention of influencing the potential jury in this criminal proceeding”.
He encouraged his children to post a video to their social media accounts showing them gathered to celebrate his birthday, they said.
Afterward, he allegedly monitored the analytics, including audience engagement, from inside the jail and “explicitly discussed with his family how to ensure that the video had his desired effect on potential jury members in this case”, they said.
The government also alleged Combs made clear his intention to anonymously publish information that he thought would help his defence team.
“The defendant’s efforts to obstruct the integrity of this proceeding also includes relentless efforts to contact potential witnesses, including victims of his abuse who could provide powerful testimony against him,” prosecutors wrote.
