Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is reportedly under suicide watch as he awaits trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, according to People.
Sources indicate that Combs is under heightened supervision following his arrest at a Manhattan hotel on Monday, September 16. He faces multiple charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals for prostitution.
The indictment alleges that Combs orchestrated and coerced victims into participating in “freak offs,” which prosecutors describe as “elaborate and staged sexual performances.” His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, confirmed that Combs is being held in a special housing unit with “extra security.”
The U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Corrections defines suicide watch as requiring frequent observation of inmates considered at risk. On September 17, after pleading not guilty and being denied bail twice, Combs was remanded to MDC. While it is unclear if Combs is actively suicidal, People reported that the suicide watch was implemented as a precaution due to his shock over the bail denials and concerns about his mental state.
The case draws parallels to Jeffrey Epstein, who was under suicide watch at a New York City jail before taking his own life in August 2019. Despite a previous suicide attempt, Epstein was left unattended with extra bed linens, and most of the surveillance cameras in his unit were not recording.
In 2023, the Department of Justice’s watchdog concluded that negligence, misconduct, and poor job performance at the federal Bureau of Prisons contributed to Epstein’s death.
Combs’ attorney has requested his transfer to a facility in Essex County, New Jersey, citing concerns over conditions at MDC, where four inmates have died by suicide in the past three years. The lawyer argued that MDC’s conditions are “unfit for pre-trial detention.”
