Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently on suicide watch as he awaits trial at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, according to sources.
Combs, 54, was arrested at a hotel in Manhattan, New York, on Monday night, September 16. The following day, his indictment was unsealed, revealing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals for prostitution.
After pleading not guilty, Combs was remanded to MDC on Tuesday, September 17, and has since been denied bail twice this week.
It is unclear whether Combs is suicidal or how long he has been on suicide watch. Sources told PEOPLE that the measures are preventative, as Combs is reportedly in shock and his mental state remains uncertain.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Corrections defines suicide watch as “supervisory precautions taken for suicidal inmates that require frequent observation.”
During a recent court hearing, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, requested that the music mogul be transferred to a prison in Essex County, New Jersey. The final decision now rests with the Bureau of Prisons.
MDC, which houses about 1,600 inmates—many of whom are awaiting trial—has a reputation for being dangerous and understaffed, with a notable history of deaths and suicides.
In their motion for Combs to be granted bail, his attorneys argued that “several courts in this district have recognized that the conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center are not fit for pre-trial detention,” as reported by The Daily Beast.
“Just earlier this summer, an inmate was murdered,” the legal team added. “At least four inmates have died by suicide there in the past three years.”
The indictment against Combs alleges that he forced victims to participate in “freak offs,” which prosecutors describe as “elaborate and produced sex performances.”
He is accused of using his fame, influence, and drugs such as cocaine, ketamine, and oxycodone to pressure and intimidate women into joining these “freak offs.”
Additionally, some of these “freak offs” were reportedly recorded without the victims’ consent. In a raid on his Miami and Los Angeles residences this past March, federal investigators seized three AR-15 rifles and 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.
Combs’ next court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, at 10 a.m. local time.
