Diddy Is Reportedly Under 'Suicide Watch' Amid Concerns He Could Harm Himself While In Jail
By Favour Adegoke on September 20, 2024 at 10:15 AM EDT
Sean "Diddy" Combs has reportedly been placed under suicide watch as doubts have been raised about his mental state.
The disgraced rapper is being held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, a correctional facility that his attorney has described as "hell on earth."
Sean "Diddy" Combs was also labeled a flight risk and was denied bail twice just this week as authorities seek to drive home their 14-page indictment against him, which borders on sex trafficking, racketeering, and the transportation of individuals to engage in prostitution.
Diddy Has Been Placed Under Suicide Watch
According to People Magazine, a source revealed that the "Finna Get Loose" rapper has been placed under surveillance just in case he attempts to commit suicide while awaiting trial.
The insider said that the decision was made for "preventative measures as Diddy is in shock and his mental state is unclear."
The U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections defines suicide watch as "supervisory precautions taken for suicidal inmates that require frequent observation."
John Fuller, a celebrity prison coach who helped prepare Martha Stewart for her stint in prison, also confirmed to TMZ that Diddy could be susceptible to "self-harm" due to the changes he would have to get used to while in jail.
He was arrested on Monday, September 16, by Homeland Security Investigators at the Park Hyatt Hotel in New York City following a grand jury indictment.
The Music Producer Was Accused Of Creating A Criminal Organization
Shortly after his arrest, authorities unveiled a 14-page indictment against him, accusing him of "creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in … sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice."
The indictment alleged that Diddy used his celebrity acclaim and drugs like Ketamine to coerce women to partake in his "freak offs" and would often record the victims on camera without their knowledge.
It also stated that authorities discovered and seized three AR-15 rifles and 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant when a raid was carried out in his Miami and Los Angeles homes back in March.
He has maintained his innocence on all charges.
Diddy Wants To Be Transferred Out Of Brooklyn Jail
The "I'll Be Missing You" crooner may have to stay in his Brooklyn jail longer than expected after he was denied bail twice this week.
His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, in a court hearing, asked a judge to transfer Diddy to a prison in Essex County in New Jersey, but that decision was placed on the shoulders of the Bureau of Prisons.
The facility where the 54-year-old music mogul is being remanded reportedly houses more than 1,500 inmates, many of whom are awaiting trial, and is also known to be a dangerous and poorly maintained facility.
In their motion for Diddy to be granted bail, his attorneys wrote that "several courts in this District have recognized that the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center are not fit for pre-trial detention."
"Just earlier this summer, an inmate was murdered," they added, per The Daily Beast. "At least four inmates have died by suicide there in the past three years."
The Rapper Promised Not To Have Female Visitors If Granted Bail
According to TMZ, prosecutors are wary that if Diddy is released on bail, he may resort to coercing witnesses to comply with his demands.
The rapper promised to be transparent and make visitors' logs available to authorities, noting that he was ready to forgo female visitations except for his family members, property caretakers, and friends who are not co-conspirators in the federal indictment.
He also agreed to undergo weekly drug testing and promised not to make contact with known grand jury witnesses.
However, authorities still denied his appeal, noting that he posed a flight risk and was a danger to society due to the items found in his home.
Diddy's Text To Cassie After He Physically Assaulted Her Gets Read Out In Court
Diddy previously made headlines after a 2016 hotel surveillance footage emerged of him aggressively hitting, shoving, and stomping on his ex-girlfriend Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura at the InterContinental hotel in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The video sparked widespread outrage from fans and several A-list stars at the time, and the embattled rapper subsequently issued an apology.
During his recent bail hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson read out loud in court the text messages he sent to Cassie after the incident, which contributed to his bail request being denied.
"Call me, the cops are here. I got six kids. Yo, please call, I am surrounded. You gonna abandon me all alone," Diddy's purported message read. In response, Cassie reportedly wrote, "When you get f-cked up, you knock me around. I'm not a rag doll. I'm someone's child."
"The defendant knew he had done something that could elicit police response," Johnson argued. Diddy is set to appear in court again for a hearing on Tuesday, September 24, at 10 am.