Sean “Diddy” Combs made his first court appearance on Thursday following his arrest on charges of rackеteering conspiracy, sеx trafficking, and transporting individuals for prоstitution.
The 54-year-old rapper and music mogul was accompanied by his 84-year-old mother, Janice Combs, and six of his seven children: Quincy Brown, 33, Justin Combs, 30, Christian “King” Combs, 26, Chance Combs, 18, and twin daughters Jessie and D’Lila Combs, 17.
Janice, who recently denounced what she called her son’s “public lynching,” faced hecklers as she entered the Manhattan federal courthouse. The crowd reportedly encouraged Jessie and D’Lila, who arrived holding hands, to “stick together,” as reported by the Daily Mail.
According to The Post, Diddy, dressed in tan jаil attire, entered the courtroom from a side entrance.
He smiled and waved at his son King, seated in the second row of the gallery, before greeting and hugging his attorneys.
Judge Arun Subramanian scheduled the trial to begin on May 5.
Last week, Diddy’s mother Janice, along with his twin daughters Jessie and D’Lila, visited him at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he is being held without bail.
Earlier this week, Diddy’s legal team submitted a third appeal for his pretrial release, arguing that there was insufficient evidence for his detention and pointing to legal mistakes in the court’s prior rulings.
Prosecutors, however, expressed concerns that the hip-hop mogul might intimidate witnesses and interfere with the case if released. They also noted that his wealth and access to private jets make him a potential flight risk.