Sean "Diddy" Combs has been kept under heightened supervision and subjected to what his attorneys describe as harsh conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while he awaits sentencing on federal charges stemming from his conviction in July, court filings show.
Combs, 55, remains detained after a jury found him guilty on two counts related to the transportation of individuals to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors pursued additional racketeering and sex-trafficking allegations, but jurors acquitted him on the most serious charges.
In a sentencing memorandum filed with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Combs' legal team, as per Fox News said the music executive has endured conditions at MDC that have had a severe physical and mental impact.
The filing seeks a 14-month term of imprisonment, followed by supervised release and court-ordered treatment and therapy, arguing that Combs has already served more than a year in custody.
"The consequences of Mr. Combs's detention at MDC for the past year have further included constant suicide watch," the filing stated. It described practices in which staff checked on Combs every two hours, required him to present identification to guards while awake, and frequently roused him at night under bright lights.
Defense attorneys also complained of limited access to potable water, crowded dorm-style sleeping quarters with shared bathrooms, lack of outdoor exposure, and inadequate medical care for lingering knee and shoulder injuries.
The filing alleged poor food quality and a dearth of exercise and rehabilitation services. It characterizes these conditions as "inhumane" and says they should factor into sentencing considerations.
Federal officials at MDC Brooklyn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Combs remains free of convictions on the more serious racketeering and sex-trafficking counts, a fact his lawyers emphasized in asking the court for leniency. "Mr. Combs has suffered physically and mentally, and continued incarceration serves no positive goal," the filing said, in a report by CBS News, adding that he intends to focus on family, community work, and rehabilitation if released.
In August, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian denied a request by defense lawyers to set bail after the guilty verdict. The judge cited video evidence of a physical attack on an ex-girlfriend that prosecutors highlighted at trial, and he said that evidence contributed to concerns about public safety and the risk of violence.
Combs faces a statutory sentencing exposure of up to 20 years, with a maximum of 10 years on each count of conviction. His formal sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 3.
Prosecutors have argued for a significant prison term reflecting the seriousness of the convictions and the need to deter similar conduct. They have pointed to witness testimony and other trial evidence in support of their recommended sentence.
The case has drawn intense media attention, given Combs' decades-long profile in the entertainment industry as a record executive, producer, and entrepreneur. The debate over appropriate punishment and the conditions of pretrial and post-conviction detention is likely to continue as the court considers submissions from both sides ahead of the sentencing hearing.
Originally published on Enstarz
