Diddy has been placed on suicide watch.
According to a shocking new report published early on Friday morning, the Bad Boy Records mogul has been placed on suicide watch at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as he awaits his trial on charges that include sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. This development is according to People, which cites sources at MDC Brooklyn for the jaw-dropping information.
Of course, as we’ve reported, Diddy was remanded to stay incarcerated at MDC on Tuesday after pleading not guilty in the case against him. He was then denied bail twice this week, with a judge pushing back against the rapper’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo who was trying to get his client out of jail and on house arrest leading up to future court dates.
Per that People report, it is not clear how long the music mogul, whose real name is Sean Combs, has been on suicide watch. Sources told the mag that the suicide watch designation is often used as a preventative measure for inmates who are in shock at their situation and/or when their mental states are unclear. Officially, the US Department of Justice‘s National Institute of Corrections notes that suicide watch is focused on “supervisory precautions taken for suicidal inmates that require frequent observation.” The star’s lawyer also said Friday that it’s routine for high-profile clients to be placed on a watch, so that’s a confirmation.
Agnifilo and the rest of Diddy’s team had previously argued strenuously that their client should not be housed at MDC Brooklyn before his trial. Per the Daily Beast, during Diddy’s first motion for bail earlier this week which failed to convince a judge, the legal team pointed out MDC’s unsettling history as proof that Diddy ought to be released:
“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. At least four inmates have died by suicide there in the past three years.”
For what it’s worth, Diddy’s next court date is set for Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. local time in NYC. So, perhaps there is a chance for his lawyers to finally successfully argue that he ought to be set free on bail ahead of trial. Certainly, that’s what they are hoping for, at least.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, by calling, texting, or chatting, or go to 988lifeline.org.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]