Rick Ross Arrested on Battery and Strangulation Charges in Miami

Rapper Rick Ross was arrested Thursday morning in Miami Beach on one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery. The 50-year-old, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, surrendered voluntarily and was released on $5,000 bond. The charges stem from an August 28 incident at his Star Island home involving his live-in girlfriend of over a year.

What happened on August 28

According to police charging documents, an argument escalated at Ross’s home when he accused his girlfriend of cheating. He slapped her in the face, struck her multiple times on the chest, and choked her by twisting the collar of her hooded sweatshirt until she could not breathe. Ross also grabbed her ponytail and slammed her against a wall, causing her lip to bleed. After he attempted to spray her with water from a shower head, she escaped and called a friend for pickup, but Ross turned the friend away. She waited for him to leave, then gathered her belongings and left the house.

The victim came forward last week

The woman did not file a police report until Tuesday, more than a month after the August 28 incident. Model and content creator Jazzma Kendrick posted photographs on Instagram over the weekend showing injuries including a swollen lip, writing “The day Rick busted my lip and the day I left.” The injuries in Kendrick’s posts match those described in the police report.

Ross denies the allegations

Ross told reporters outside jail that the allegations are fabricated and claimed he would be traveling to Dubai, Paris, and then cooking rigatoni on Sunday. His attorney Bradley Horenstein said the ex-girlfriend’s motivations are unclear and that Ross pleaded not guilty. Defense attorney Steve Sadow added that the woman waited a month to file the report and asked the public not to prejudge the situation.

Prior assault case from 2015

Ross pleaded no contest in 2017 to aggravated assault after being accused of forcing a man into a guesthouse at his suburban Atlanta mansion in 2015 and beating him with a handgun. Under Georgia’s first-offender program, the court issued an order exonerating Ross of guilt on that felony count. His arraignment on the current charges is scheduled for October 22.

Final Thoughts

Rick Ross faces serious felony charges with an October 22 arraignment ahead. His defense claims the allegations are false, but the timeline and victim account present a significant legal challenge for the 50-year-old rapper.

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