With family and friends nearby, Combs was sitting there Friday unshackled in the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse. The notoriously self-promoting rapper was denied bail twice before in quick succession by other judges just after his arrest on sex trafficking and other charges two months ago.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs is due to return to court on Friday for a hearing over his bid to be released on $50-million bail from the Brooklyn jail where the music mogul has been held for 10 weeks ahead of his May 5,