Rick Ross has received a partial break in his Florida legal case, but the rapper is not completely in the clear. Prosecutors have dismissed the felony strangulation charge connected to his October arrest, leaving a misdemeanor domestic violence battery charge still pending.
Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions).
According to court records, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office filed paperwork Thursday to drop the felony count, explaining that there was insufficient evidence to move forward with that charge. Ross, whose legal name is William Roberts II, continues to deny the allegations.
The 50-year-old rapper has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney said Friday that Ross intends to keep defending himself against the remaining charge.
The case began after a woman who said she was living with Ross contacted Miami Beach police. According to the arrest report, she told detectives that an argument took place on August 28 after Ross accused her of being unfaithful. She alleged that he struck her several times, choked her using the collar of her shirt and pushed her into a wall.
The woman reportedly left the residence and later returned to collect her belongings after Ross had gone. She filed a police report two days before the rapper turned himself in.
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE.
Ross surrendered at the Miami Beach police station on October 1 and was released on bail several hours later. The arrest initially resulted in both domestic battery and felony battery by strangulation charges.
While the felony count has now been dismissed, the misdemeanor case remains unresolved. The decision to drop one charge does not amount to a dismissal of the entire case, and Ross has not been convicted of the allegations.
This is not the first time the rapper has faced criminal charges. In a separate Georgia case stemming from a 2015 incident at his suburban Atlanta home, Ross pleaded no contest to aggravated assault in 2017. He had been accused of forcing a man into a guesthouse and beating him with a handgun. Under Georgia’s first-time offender program, a court later issued an order exonerating him of guilt on that felony count.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP AND TAKE US WITH YOU ANYWHERE!
Outside the courtroom, Ross has built a successful career as one of the recognizable names in Southern hip-hop. He gained national attention with his 2006 single “Hustlin’,” which helped lead to a record deal with Def Jam.
Related Article: Rick Ross Arrested on Felony Domestic Violence Charges
Related Article: Rick Ross Calls Out Hermès Over $12K Sandals
His debut album, Port of Miami, opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum. He later released chart-topping projects including Trilla and Deeper Than Rap. Ross also founded Maybach Music Group in 2008, helping launch the careers of artists such as Meek Mill, Wale and French Montana.
For now, the remaining misdemeanor charge means the legal matter is still ongoing.
HEAD BACK TO THE RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM HOMEPAGE
