Pasadena, California, criminal defense attorney explains why the rapper P Diddy was denied release on bail after his arrest last week and what it could mean for you if you are arrested.
After nearly a year of lawsuits, police raids, and investigations, grammy award-winning Rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been arrested in New York on federal charges. Indicted by a grand jury for Racketeering, criminal conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting sex workers across state lines, the Bad Boy went quietly, no doubt hoping to be out by the next day on bail.
Unfortunately for him, the New York federal judge on the case denied bail both initial bail and his defense attorney’s request for release on bond. Ouch.
If a millionaire Californian like P Diddy cannot get released from jail before his trial, who can? It is enough to make anyone wonder what might happen to you if you get arrested. Fortunately, Pasadena defense attorney Don Matson has the answers as to why Sean Combs has not been released on bail and what it means for ordinary Californians.
But first, a bit of context on Mr Combs’s arrest and the stunning case against him.
The arrest of the rapper and music producer most Americans know as P Diddy (or just Diddy) came after nearly a year of mounting legal pressure on Mr Sean Combs.
Last fall, lawsuits began rolling in accusing him of all sorts of horrible conduct and harmful behavior, mostly sexual, coercive, or violent, including one from ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, which he settled the very next day (even before the now infamous video of a hotel altercation between the two surfaced).
Following the allegations in these lawsuits, federal law enforcement, led by Homeland Security, raided two of Combs’ primary residences in Miami and Los Angeles last spring. The simultaneous raids made big headlines at the time, but little was heard about what the police may or may not have been looking for or found. No arrests were made on the properties, but two of Diddy’s sons were briefly handcuffed, no violence or resistance occurred.
We learned last week, however, that the raids had not been in vain. They recovered considerable evidence, including illegal firearms, that contributed to the Grand Jury indictment of P Diddy. Based on evidence recovered at the scenes and testimony from witnesses and victims alike, the grand jury indicted the star producer for “Racketeering Conspiracy; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; and Transportation to Engage in Prostitution.”
While very serious, these charges hardly amount to a life sentence either, so why are Diddy and his defense lawyer finding it so hard to get the rapper released on bail?
When justice caught up with Sean “P Diddy” Combs, despite his Bad Boy reputation and brand, the rapper cooperated fully with law enforcement, letting himself be arrested in a New York hotel lobby. Despite this, the New York federal judge in charge of his arraignment decided the state would hold on to the music producer mogul despite several bail offers.
The justification given by the court was, among other reasons, primarily focused on the risk of coercion of potential victims and witnesses by Mr Combs. Such instances of blackmail, threats and other forms of coercion already exist in the charges against him. However, it is unclear why Diddy being in jail would make it any harder for his criminal co-conspirators to engage in it.
Attorney Don Matson, who has seen his fair share of criminal cases and arraignment hearings, has some other theories for what might be motivating the judge’s choice to deny Diddy bail:
In the end, though, it is most likely the severity of the charges, especially with regard to the extent of the conspiracy element of the racketeering charge, as well as a combination of some or all of the above, which caused the judge to deny bail to Mr Sean Combs.
California has surrendered one of its more controversial celebrities to New York jail and the federal justice system, and they seem to be giving no sign of giving him back any time soon. This is despite his offer to put millions of dollars on the line and the word of his mother and associates in exchange for release on bail until the trial.
It is enough to make anyone wonder what would happen to an ordinary Californian if they got arrested for anything from domestic violence to sex crimes, all of which feature in Diddy’s long list of accusations and indictments.
Fortunately or unfortunately, defense attorney Don Matson assures most Californians arrested, short of those charged with extremely violent or repeated offenses, are more likely to be unable to afford bail than be refused the option to do so.
In general, the courts are much more interested in keeping jails from getting overcrowded and court costs down than in holding people only charged with crimes. That does not mean that it never happens, but with the help of a good defense lawyer, it is unlikely to happen to you.
A defense attorney will usually be able to negotiate a release, whether it comes with a large cash bail (which you can post bond for), conditions you have to fulfill, or restraining orders and additional protections against alleged victims.
Get Bail Where Sean P Diddy Combs Could Not With Defense Attorney Don Matson
If you or someone you love has had the misfortune of being charged with a crime and arrested in California, do not panic because of what happened to P Diddy. Unless you or your family member happen to be a superstar celebrity charged with criminal conspiracy and racketeering, chances are bail will be an option.
Your chances of being released on favorable terms go way up with a better defense lawyer, who may even be able to negotiate a release if your initial bail was denied like Mr Combs’. If you are under arrest in Pasadena or anywhere nearby in California, defense attorney Don Matson can help you secure that release so that while he works on your defense, you can keep living your life with minimal disruption.
If you have been arrested and your name is NOT Sean Combs, you better call Don at (626) 600-3437.
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