Sean “Diddy” Combs will be tried on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges starting May 5, a U.S. judge ruled at a hearing Thursday, and the jailed hip-hop mogul later blew kisses to his family in the courtroom.

During the hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan federal court, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, also raised concerns about what he called inappropriate leaks by federal agents on the case. Prosecutor Emily Johnson called the claim baseless.

Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty Sept. 17 to a three-count indictment accusing him of using his business empire — including the Bad Boy Entertainment label — to transport women and sex workers across state lines in order to participate in recorded sexual performances called “The Freaks.”

Thursday’s hearing marked Combs’ third court appearance since his September arrest.

Wearing a beige prison suit, Combs stood and blew kisses to his family members seated in the courtroom audience after the hearing ended. His mother and children were present at the hearing, defense attorney Anthony Ricco said in court. Combs was then led to a side door by members of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Johnson told the court that the prosecution’s presentation of the case at trial would last at least three weeks. Combs’ defense will last about a week, Agnifilo said.

Combs has been imprisoned at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest. The Manhattan-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Thursday rejected his request for immediate release while he appeals another judge’s decision to deny him bail. A three-judge panel from the 2nd Circuit will hear that appeal at a later date.

The rapper and producer faces a sentence of up to life in prison and a minimum of 15 years if convicted on the three counts he faces: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage to prostitution.

Prosecutors said Combs lured women by giving them drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy, financial support or promises of professional support or a romantic relationship. Combs then used surreptitious recordings of sexual acts as “collateral” to ensure the women would remain silent, and sometimes displayed weapons to intimidate victims and witnesses of abuse, prosecutors said.

The indictment contained no allegations that Combs himself directly had unwanted sexual contact with women, although he was accused of physically assaulting them. Agnifilo called the sexual activity described by prosecutors consensual.

In a court filing Wednesday evening, Agnifilo asked Subramanian to impose a “gag order” barring federal prosecutors and agents from releasing evidence to the media. Agnifilo cited what he called illegal leaks, including a videotape showing Combs punching and dragging a woman in 2016.

During the hearing, Johnson called the defense request an attempt to “exclude a damning piece of evidence.” She said prosecutors would have no problem asserting their obligations not to release confidential evidence to the press, but added that the defense should also be bound by that.

Johnson also raised concerns about Agnifilo’s statement in a September interview with entertainment outlet TMZ, calling the matter “the takedown of a successful black man.” She said the comment amounted to an accusation that the government was “engaging in racist prosecution”.

“Statements like this seriously endanger the fairness of the trial in this case,” Johnson said.

Subramanian asked Agnifilo to propose an order that would govern public statements by both parties.