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Casanova Asks For Reduction Of Prison Sentence, Denies Robbery Charges

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Amid his appeal process for his 15-year prison sentence, Casanova is trying to reduce his jail time by disputing whether his crimes are even crimes to begin with. Moreover, the rapper cited his “extraordinary acceptance of responsibility” for his racketeering charges as a valid reason to show mercy in this regard. For those unaware, these charges are allegedly in connection with the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods gang. A more important part of this motion is the claim that his robbery charges are invalid, considering that the incident he was arrested for don’t legally constitute a robbery under New York state law. This stems from an altercation at the Good Stuff Diner in 2018.

Furthermore, this fight with Niya Rucker, who recorded him at the restaurant, is a big contributing factor to Casanova’s conviction. He’s one of 18 codefendants in a racketeering case for murder, attempted murder, drug dealing, and other charges. Back to this New York occurrence, though, Rucker claims the 36-year-old’s colleagues choked and cut her while trying to delete the footage from her phone, and even broke her jaw. Following two counts of felony robbery, he and his lawyer denied these accusations and maintained that Rucker left with her phone.

Read More: Casanova Reflects On “Loneliness” Of Life Behind Bars

Casanova At The 2019 BET Awards

Casanova Sentence Reduction Robbery Hip Hop News
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 05: Casanova attends the BET Hip Hop Awards 2019 at Cobb Energy Center on October 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET)

As such, they argued that this wasn’t a robbery at all and the charges are unjust. While this case doesn’t constitute the crime or larceny in the legal definition, Casanova still accepted his conviction and even acknowledged that the crime was, in fact, more severe than what they charged him with. This accountability is what the Brooklyn MC believes justifies a more merciful sentence. In addition, he claimed to cut ties with Gorilla Stone.

Meanwhile, this complicated situation and his denouncement of the criminal organization yielded other personal consequences. For example, inmates attacked him back in June, and it’s unclear how tied this incident is to his actual case. Regardless, it seems like things may not be as bleak for him, although it will be a tough case to make. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Casanova.

Read More: Casanova Is Doing “Great” In Prison, According To Slowbucks

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Meghann Cuniff Dishes Her Thoughts On The Tory Lanez Trial In New GQ Interview

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If you’ve tried to stay up to date on the Tory Lanez trial, you most likely recognize Meghann Cuniff’s name. Moreover, she’s the reporter who provided (and is still providing) excellent stories, updates, and insights into the artist’s legal reckoning for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. In fact, her coverage became so acclaimed and impactful in the media that Tory and his team tried to discredit her. With that in mind, it’s only natural that other outlets like GQ would want to have a chat with her about her experience. Furthermore, in a new interview, the Oregon-raised journalist discussed multiple aspects of this high-profile case and her own notoriety.

For example, on the topic of her recent publishing of Iggy Azalea’s letter in support of Tory Lanez (and also Mario’s), Meghann Cuniff explained why she felt that was important. “[Social media is] the current medium where everyone is,” she remarked to the publication. “What I’ve noticed from researching court coverage and just looking at L.A. Superior Court over the years- because there’s so much history in that courthouse- they used to allow cameras all over the courthouse. There was a trial involving The Twilight Zone movie. It was a manslaughter trial. It was a huge, huge, high-profile case in the ’80s. And when you see the footage from it, have all the testimony on coverage. TV was just the medium back then. We’ve transitioned away from that.

Read More: Tory Lanez Refuses To Apologize Amid 10-Year Prison Sentence

Meghann Cuniff’s Latest Twitter Update

“The restrictions that courts place on access to coverage I think are hurtful to the public’s understanding of the court,” she continued. “When you’re talking about mainstream stuff and you’re trying to balance all the misinformation out there, I mean, you have to get on the same level.” Elsewhere, Meghann Cuniff also addressed misinformed and rapid coverage of the trial on blog spaces, making her mission that much more important. In addition, she addressed people both praising and attacking her online, the sentence’s fairness, Tory’s attitude throughout this process, and what she hopes people will take away from it.

“I hope people see this as just an example of how different internet life or blog life or your perception of a case from the internet comments can be from what actually is happening in the courtroom or what actually is happening in real life,” she shared. “The idea that this was such a high-profile case and so much interest in it, why aren’t all the court documents available online? I just think it’s totally shameful that the L.A. Superior Court has this stuff locked down, and you have to go through all these hoops just to get public documents on the case.” Check out the full interview with the via link below and stay up to date on HNHH for the latest Tory Lanez news. Also, thank you, Meghann, for all your hard work, integrity, and efforts to level the playing field.

Read More: Tory Lanez’s Mindset Revealed Amid 10-Year Prison Sentence

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Tory Lanez Will Have A Year Shaven Off Of His Sentence

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Yesterday, Tory Lanez’ eagerly-awaited sentencing for his role in Megan Thee Stallion’s shooting case took place. The artist was sentenced to ten years in prison, as reported by Meghann Cuniff. Cuniff reported today that Lanez will have nearly a year shaved off of his ten-year sentence, however, for time served.

“Lanez will be credited for 231 days he’s already spent in jail,” she wrote on Twitter. “He gets 15% credit of 34 days,” Cuniff also explained. “Herriford also is crediting his 40 days of house arrest, for a total of 305 days. He’ll request bail pending appeal, which will be heard Aug. 15. (Extremely unlikely to be granted).” For obvious reasons, the sentencing has gotten social media users talking. Though some have taken to Twitter to defend Lanez, others will certainly be disappointed that he’ll only be serving around nine years.

Read More: Charlamagne Tha God And DJ Envy React To Tory Lanez Sentencing

Meghann Cuniff Says Tory Lanez Will Serve Closer To Nine Years

In addition to her Tweet about Lanez’ time served being deducted from his sentence, Cuniff additionally posted a statement shared by Deputy D.A. Kathy Ta. “I cannot emphasize enough the power that it must’ve taken someone with that level of trauma that she’s undergone and the willingness to come forward after being vilified online,” she said of Megan Thee Stallion.

Prior to being sentenced, Lanez apologized for his behavior, even referring to Megan Thee Stallion as his “friend.” “I want to apologize for everything I took part in and even being in that situation & for everything I did wrong I take full responsibility and I’m mature enough to say I was wrong,” he told Judge David Herriford. “I’m not asking for special treatment,” he also claimed. “Or for you to go beyond the scope of what you do. I’m just asking for you to give me the chance to be a better father, mentor, and to be better for my employees.” He additionally claimed that he “still cares dearly” about Megan Thee Stallion, which then sparked some additional debate among users.

Read More: Tory Lanez Lawyer Claims Rapper Leaked Court Docs & Medical Info To Akademiks: Report

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Former NFL Pro Henry Ruggs III Gets Lengthy Jail Sentence For Fatal 2021 Car Crash

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Henry Ruggs III has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on the charges of DUI resulting in death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The charges stem from a 2021 incident in Las Vegas in which an intoxicated Ruggs hit the car of Tina Tintor at high speed, killing both Tintor and her dog. At the time of the collision, Tintor was traveling at 43mph while Ruggs was going 156mph. Ruggs was cut by the Raiders the day after the crash and pled guilty to all charges in May.

However, Ruggs may not serve his full sentence. Despite the sentencing judge telling Ruggs it was one of the more tragic cases she had ever seen, Ruggs will be eligible for parole in three years. “To the parents and family of Ms. Tintor, I sincerely apologize for the pain and suffering,” Ruggs said in a prepared statement. Tintor, whose family escaped war-torn Serbia to reside in the United States, was 23 at the time of her death. She had meant to pick up her father from work the morning she was killed in the crash with Ruggs. A number of her family were in the courtroom to watch the sentencing.

Read More: Former NBA journeyman Terence Williams gets 10 years in prison for NBA healthcare fraud scheme

Who Is Henry Ruggs III?

Henry Rugs III
DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 17: Wide receiver Diontae Spencer #11 of the Denver Broncos runs a route during the first half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on October 17, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Justifiably, Ruggs has become known primarily for the reckless crash that killed a young woman. It was a swift end to what was once a promising football career. Growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, Ruggs was a three-sport athlete. Considered one of the best recruits in the country, Ruggs received over 20 scholarship offers but chose to stay in-state and join Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide. He became core piece of Saban’s offense and helped the Tide win the College National Championship in his freshman year. Over three years with Alabama, Ruggs had 1716 yards and 24 touchdowns.

His speed and athleticism made him a valuable pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, where he was the first wide receiver off the board at #12. Joining the Raiders in their first season in Vegas, Ruggs was WR3 behind Nelson Agholor and Hunter Renfrow. He put up 452 yards and 2 touchdowns in his rookie year and had similar numbers in his sophomore season. However, none of this really matters. After a night out at Topgolf, Ruggs made the decision to drive drunk. It cost him his career but more importantly, it cost a young woman her life.

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Megan Thee Stallion’s Recent Statement On Tory Lanez Sentence Has No Mercy

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The court scheduled Tory Lanez’s sentence after a guilty verdict for shooting Megan Thee Stallion for today (August 7). However, for unclear reasons, the court did not finish proceedings and will instead resume tomorrow (Tuesday, August 8). During these proceedings, Megan did not show up in person, but gave a statement for District Attorney Kathy Ta to relay in the hearing. While we already knew a bit of this statement from the initial report, new details emerged that illuminate her thoughts a little more. Moreover, reported Meghann Cuniff shared the key takeaways of this statement on her Twitter page.

“Megan said she struggled with whether to attend in person,” Cuniff wrote. “Her absence should be seen as her preserving her mental well being. She said since Tory shot her, ‘I’ve not experienced a single day of [peace].’ ‘He lied to anyone that would listen,’ Megan said of Lanez. Megan said mercy is for people who show remorse, and Lanez has shown none. She thanked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for their support. She wants the sentence to be a message for everyone woman of violence.

Read More: Iggy Azalea Reportedly Wrote To Judge In Support Of Tory Lanez, Twitter Reacts

Part Of Megan Thee Stallion’s Statement About Tory Lanez

“Important: Judge Herriford said he believes Lanez’s actions after the shooting, the social media posts and harassment of Megan, are a major aggravating factor in his sentence,” the journalist went on. “He says he won’t consider lack of remorse, but he says considering the post-shooting actions are similar. More from Megan Thee Stallion’s statement at Tory Lanez’s sentencing: ‘He not only shot me, he made a mockery of my trauma, he tried to position himself as a victim and set out to destroy my character and my soul.’ ‘He lied to anyone that would listen and paid bloggers to disseminate false information about the case on social media, he released music videos and songs to damage my character and continue his crusade.

“‘At first, he tried to deny the shooting ever happened,’” Cuniff concluded. “‘Then, he attempted to place the blame on my former best friend. In his tantrum of lies, he’s blamed the system, blamed the press and, as of late, he’s using his childhood trauma to shield himself and avoid culpability.’ ‘For once, the defendant must be forced to face the full consequences of his heinous actions and face justice.’ The sentencing hearing continues tomorrow at 10:30 am in Los Angeles.” For more news and the latest updates on Megan Thee Stallion and the Tory Lanez case, stay up to date on HNHH.

Read More: Tory Lanez’s Attorney Requests Probation In Sentencing For Megan Thee Stallion Shooting

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Casanova Is Doing “Great” In Prison, According To Slowbucks

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Casanova appears to be doing well, despite his recent 15-year prison sentence. Slowbucks, a friend of Casanova’s, took to his Instagram Story earlier this week to give fans an update on the rapper. “Don’t believe the hype,” he wrote. “My guy in great standards and in great spirits. Free @bigcasanova_2x.” His post also included what appears to be a screenshot of the two of them on FaceTime. In the screenshot, Casanova looks to be feeling cheerful, with a big smile on his face.

The news comes as a relief to fans, who just saw Casanova involved in a bloody prison altercation in June. According to concerning reports, another inmate “slashed” Casanova in the face, resulting in a violent brawl which involved weapons. Shortly after those reports, his lawyer went on to claim that the rapper’s life was in danger at Essex County Jail. “His public renunciation of the gang has and will continue to pose a threat to his life which will make his future incarceration far more onerous than contemplated by our judicial system,” the lawyer explained.

Read More: Casanova Formally Appeals 15-Year Prison Sentence

Casanova Is Living “In Great Standards,” Says Slowbucks

Casanova is facing various federal charges related to his alleged ties with what prosecutors call “a vicious street gang.” Ahead of his sentencing, Casanova penned a heartfelt letter to the judge, claiming that he had cut all ties with the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang. “I am telling you and anyone that will listen that I wanted out before I was arrested and I am out,” he wrote, “I learned through my music career that people will listen and that I don’t need to associate myself with a gang to succeed.”

“I thought I needed to stay in the life in name because it was a way to promote my career,” the letter continued, “I don’t care what the government tells you.” He told the judge, “I am telling you the truth. I was not involved in the daily activities of this gang.” Casanova formally appealed his sentence last month. “As he gained moderate success and then a recording contract with Roc Nation, he increasingly separated himself from the gang’s activities despite remaining a member,” his lawyer claims.

Read More: Casanova Calls For Prayers Prior To Sentencing

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Tory Lanez Reportedly Wants To Serve Sentence In State Prison

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While he awaits sentencing, which is set for August 6, new reports indicate that Tory Lanez is having a pretty miserable time in jail. Moreover, these new claims come from attorney Ronda Renee Dixon, who motioned to take over as his legal counsel on Wednesday (July 12). However, the court denied her motion, although her statement still made its way to the news cycle and raised concerns over the artist’s state of mind and body while behind bars. Apparently, Lanez feels “despondent” in jail, exacerbated by the fact that authorities hold him in isolation. Dixon believes that he faced harsh and rare conditions during his time so far, and that it will continue if the court ignores his requests for a state prison transfer.

“His eyes were black,” Dixon told Legal Affairs and Trials with Meghann Cuniff of Tory Lanez’s mentality and physique. “He was totally despondent. He told me he wanted to go to state prison. I said, ‘You want to go to state prison? Why?’ He said, ‘At least I’ll be able to go out in the yard and talk to people.’ That upset me. I don’t think he’s guilty.

Read More: Meek Mill Responds To Backlash Over Saying “Free Tory Lanez” At Rolling Loud

Tory Lanez Performing At Rolling Loud Miami 2021

Tory Lanez State Prison
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 25: Tory Lanez performs onstage during day 3 of Rolling Loud Miami 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 25, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

“Merely because he is well known, the Sheriff has decided that Mr. Peterson is of such great threat that he must be confined in the same manner as those convicted of serial rape charges and murder,” her motion read. For those unaware, the court found Tory Lanez guilty for charges related to shooting Megan Thee Stallion in July of 2020. These are one count of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying an unregistered and loaded firearm in a vehicle, and firing said gun with gross negligence. Despite his team’s efforts, authorities denied his motion for a new trial and other attempts to reverse the ruling.

Meanwhile, the Canadian rapper and singer faces a maximum of 22 years behind bars according to reports and a minimum of nine years. Still, the prosecution aimed for about 13 years when making their case to the judge. With new details emerging and public knowledge increasing, this will be a very interesting verdict to witness. With that in mind, stay posted on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Tory Lanez.

Read More: Tory Lanez’s Biggest Scandals: Megan, Drake, August Alsina & More

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Casanova Formally Appeals 15-Year Prison Sentence

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Casanova has formally appealed his 15-year prison sentence. The prominent hip-hop figure was found guilty on a host of charges in late June. The charges stemmed from a sprawling RICO case linked to Casanova’s gang, Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation. Furthermore, the charges ranged from drug trafficking to the murder of a 15-year-old boy. Prosecutor Damian Williams said of Casanova – “[He is] not just a notorious recording artist, [but also] a high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence.”

As a result, Casanova was sentenced to 15 years in jail. “He did not simply pretend to be violent in his music or on social media,” the government wrote. “Unfortunately, he walked the walk. Senior’s offense conduct is not about a few song lyrics or how he marketed his music. Rather, he carried out an array of violent activity and significant narcotics trafficking that benefited some of the gang’s most violent and impactful members.”

Casanova Appeals Sentence

Casanova’s lawyer, James Kousouros, confirmed that on July 7, he had formally filed an appeal of his client’s sentence. During the trial, Kousouros had leaned hard on the consequences of Casanova publicly disavowing of the gang. During the trial, Casanova had renounced his membership and spoken at length about his desire to disassociate himself from the group. As a result, Kousouros claimed that Casanova’s life was at risk. On June 14, about two weeks before he was sentenced, Casanova was attacked at Essex County Jail. The incident required him to get stitches on his head and hands.

However, the “lighter sentence” he received as a result of this public disavowing was still 15 years behind bars. Kousouros believes that this is still too much for both the work that Casanova has put in and his public disavowing of the gang. “The fact is that Mr. Senior stayed in this gang as it furthered his rap career,” Casanova’s lawyers wrote. “As he gained moderate success and then a recording contract with Roc Nation, he increasingly separated himself from the gang’s activities despite remaining a member.” This is a breaking story and so very little information is available. However, Casanova will likely remain in jail for several weeks or months before his case is heard by a judge again.

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O-Block’s Boss Top Sentenced To 5 Years

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Boss Top, born Tyree Davis, has reportedly been sentenced for gun charges. According to legal documents posted by No Jumper, the Chicago-born artist has been sentenced to serve five years in prison. He’s reportedly charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The circumstances surrounding his arrest are currently unclear. The legal documents suggest that he was admitted on Tuesday (June 27), of this week.

The rapper is known to have come from O-Block. O-Block is a block in Chicago widely accepted as the place drill rap originated. Others notable artists who come from O-Block include Lil Durk, Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, and more. King Von was also famously from O-Block. Boss Top is also known to have been affiliated with the late King Von, who died in 2020 following a shooting in Atlanta.

Read More: Are Lil Durk And King Von Related?

Boss Top’s Gun Charges

This is far from Boss Top’s first run-in with the law. Back in 2016, the rapper was accused of being involved in a home robbery. At the time, he was looking at home invasion and gun charges. He was also reportedly facing up to 45 years behind bars. In May of 2018, he was sentenced to six years in prison. In a 2021 interview with VladTV, the artist shared that he was held on a $1.5 million bond at the time. He also revealed that he had refused to cooperate with law enforcement throughout the case, explaining the hefty sentence he was facing.

Boss Top has also famously had beef with Chief Keef. Last year, he sent a message to NBA YoungBoy and DaBaby on social media for dropping music on the same day of King Von’s first posthumous release, What It Means To Be King. What It Means To Be King, along with Better Than You, were both set to drop on March 4, 2022. “King Von Better Than Both Of You Friday,” he wrote on Instagram, hinting at the title of NBA YoungBoy and DaBaby’s project. Later in 2022, Boss Top released At Yo Neck II, a 14-song mixtape featuring King Von, Lil Gotit, Doodie Lo, Fredo Bang, and more.

Read More: 600 Breezy Suggests God Let King Von Die To Save Him From O-Block RICO Case

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Troy Ave Mocks Casanova’s 15-Year Prison Sentence

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In a new Instagram post, Troy Ave makes light of Casanova’s recent 15-year prison sentence. The rapper will serve time for drug and gang-related charges. “I can’t wipe the motherf***ing smile off my face if I tried,” he says in the clip. He continues, also claiming “It’s Christmas in June!”

In the caption of the clip, the rapper also announced a giveaway of $188, the same number of months Casanova is to serve. “We giving a 188 dollar cash app for whoever can guess why AVE is in such a great mood,” he writes, “Best answer wins.” This wasn’t the first time Troy Ave celebrated someone’s prison sentence. Earlier this month, he also mocked Taxstone on Instagram with a similar giveaway. Taxstone was sentenced to 35 years for killing Troy Ave’s bodyguard, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter. McPhatter was shot, along with several others, at a T.I. concert back in 2016.

Read More: Taxstone Sentenced To 35 Years In Prison Over Shooting Of Troy Ave’s Bodyguard

Troy Ave Says “It’s Christmas In June”

Troy Ave also previously accused Casanova of being a “snitch” in a lengthy Instagram post in 2021. “Caswell #Casanova Senior cooperated with the police and snitched on his ‘friend’ Classik about a murder investigation,” he alleged. He went on to say, “We outnumbered by these frauds. They talk tough but join gangs for protection, they Dick ride instead of standing on they own two.” He added, “They the users not the dealers! They talk about being rich off trappin but u can see they broke or have rented apartments & cars!”

Casanova’s 188-month sentence was reported yesterday. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams called him a “high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence,” in a recent press release. The rapper’s lawyers also claim that his life is in danger in prison. He previously renounced his ties to the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang in a letter to a judge. Earlier this month, he was involved in a serious altercation with another inmate, reportedly linked him renouncing his affiliation.

Read More: Casanova Receives 15-Year Prison Sentence

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