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American rapper Rick Ross has been arrested in Miami Beach on domestic violence charges, including felony battery by strangulation.
Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts, was arrested early Thursday and booked at 6:10 am. Miami-Dade jail records show he was taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Centre. The 50-year-old rapper faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanour battery charge. Both charges have been classified as domestic violence offences.
According to an arrest affidavit cited by The U.S. Sun, the case followed an alleged dispute with a woman who said she had been dating Ross for about a year. The woman told police Ross became angry after discovering she had been tagged in an Instagram photograph. She alleged that he questioned her about the photograph and accused her of being involved with another man.
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The woman also alleged that Ross slapped her before striking her several times in the chest. According to the affidavit, she said he then grabbed her hoodie and twisted it around her neck, leaving her unable to breathe. She further alleged that Ross grabbed her ponytail and slammed her against a wall.
The woman also told police that Ross struck her face while she was bent over, injuring her lip. She alleged that Ross later pushed her to the floor and turned on the shower.
Ross’ lawyer, Bradley Horenstein, has denied the allegations and urged the public not to rush to judgment.
“All I can say is that the allegations are false. He’s innocent. Everything is going to come out. We just ask that you allow the process to play out before rushing to judgment, because the truth will come in,” Horenstein told CBS News Miami.
Ross’ bond has been set at $5,000 for the strangulation charge and $1,000 for the battery charge. His total bond is therefore $6,000.
According to CBS News Miami, his arraignment is scheduled for October 22. The arrest came days after Ross’ former girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, publicly accused him of physical abuse. Kendrick alleged in Instagram posts that Ross injured her lip during an incident she said happened about a month earlier.
She also shared photographs of the alleged injury. Yahoo reported that Kendrick said she ended the relationship after the alleged incident. She also described Ross as having treated her like a “punching bag.” It remains unclear whether Kendrick’s allegations are connected to the criminal case.
CBS News Miami reported that authorities had not immediately confirmed the identity of the alleged victim.
