Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs is scheduled to make his initial appearance before a new judge overseeing his trial on charges related to sex trafficking.
The rapper was taken into custody on September 16 for charges involving sex trafficking and racketeering.
Robyn Tarnofsky, a US magistrate judge, ordered that Diddy remain in jail while awaiting trial. This decision followed his plea of not guilty to the 14-page federal indictment.
Diddy has also been accused of sexually abusing 120 additional individuals, including a 9-year-old boy.
On Thursday, he will be brought to Manhattan federal court from a Brooklyn jail to appear before Arun Subramanian, the newly appointed judge.
The hearing is expected to set deadlines for both sides to submit arguments, determining the scope of the trial. Diddy’s legal team is aiming for a trial date in April or May next year.
Prosecutors have not yet indicated a preferred timeline for the trial.
Subramanian was assigned to the case after a different judge stepped down due to prior relationships with the lawyers involved.
Diddy maintains his plea of not guilty. His lawyers have repeatedly sought bail since his arrest.
However, two judges have ruled that he remains a threat to the community if released.
Three weeks ago, at a bail hearing, a judge denied a $50 million bail package, which included home detention and electronic monitoring, after determining that Diddy posed a risk of witness tampering and obstruction of the ongoing investigation.
Janice Combs, Diddy’s mother, recently came to his defense, stating he is “not the monster people have painted him to be.”
