Diddy's Courtroom Sketch Released After Mogul Enters Not Guilty Plea

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The Georgia Entertainment Caucus Award Ceremony
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 11: Sean 'Diddy' Combs receives a State Resolution for his Achievements in Entertainment and Business at The Georgia Entertainment Caucus Award Ceremony at Georgia State Capital on September 11, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
He's in a dire legal situation.

The Diddy saga has kicked into high gear this week. The disgraced mogul was arrested on Monday, September 16. He was charged with sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, in addition to racketeering. Diddy entered a not guilty plea, but was promptly denied bail by the U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky. Both him and U.S. Magistrate Tarnofsky were depicted in a courtroom sketch that has been released online.

The sketch was posted by independent reporter Meghann Cuniff on Twitter. Diddy, real name Sean Combs, can be seen wearing a blue prison shirt. Predictably, the mogul has a dour expression on his face. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams issued a statement requesting that Diddy be denied bail on the grounds that he may try to leave the country. "If released, he remains a serious risk of flight," the U.S. Attorney stated. He also described the Bad Boy founder as being at "a significant risk of obstructing justice."

Diddy's Bail Was Denied Despite Offering $50 Million

U.S. Magistrate Tarnofsky agreed. According to Variety, Tarnofsky considered a number of different alternatives for bail. The judge considered releasing Diddy to house arrest. The mogul even offered a sizable bond amount of $50 million. Ultimately, however, the risk of releasing Diddy was deemed too high. Tarnofsky stated the "presumption in favor of detention has not been rebutted" by the defense. “The defendant’s long history of violent conduct makes clear that even the most stringent bail conditions will not suffice to ensure the safety of the community," she added. The producer's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, tried to argue against the decision by citing his cooperation up to this point.

The lawyer argued that the mogul has proven himself trustworthy in recent months. He claimed that his client surrendered his passport to authorities. He also claimed that his client has kept the government informed on his domestic travel as an "act of goodwill." None of these acts proved to win over the judge, however. Diddy will be held in custody until his trial gets underway. If convicted, the mogul will face 15 years to life in prison.

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About The Author
Elias Andrews is a music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as the lead night shift contributor, which means he covers new music releases on a weekly basis. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest and most turbulent stories in the world of music. He covered the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, and the release of the disses “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams,” in particular, in real time. He has also detailed the ongoing list of allegations and criminal charges made against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He loves L.A. hip-hop but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he ever bought was Big Willie Style by Will Smith, which he maintains is still a pretty good listen.
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