trial Archives - New Hip Hop News

Joe Budden Wonders If It’s Possible For Diddy To Have A Fair Trial

November 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It’s no secret that Diddy is in for an intense trial. The Bad Boy founder is currently behind bars for various charges related to alleged sex trafficking and racketeering. His trial is expected to begin in May 2025, and he could reportedly face some serious prison time if convicted. He’s also facing multiple lawsuits from men and women who accuse him of sexual assault, abuse, and more.

Recently, prosecutors even obtained roughly 19 pages of “privileged notes” that were found during a raid of the mogul’s jail cell, according to TMZ. They alleged that they pointed to him allegedly paying Kalenna Harper to release a statement in his defense after Dawn Richard filed a lawsuit against him, and more. Earlier this week, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled that none of this could be used as evidence against Diddy. He ordered the prosecution to destroy the notes.

The Joe Budden Podcast Discusses Diddy’s Legal Battle

Joe budden podcast debating if dddy is able to get a fair trial with all these stories coming out about him that the Feds are leaking to media outlets pic.twitter.com/497GTVQXgc

— joebuddenclips (@Chatnigga101) November 20, 2024

During a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Budden and his co-hosts questioned whether or not it’s even possible for Diddy to get a fair trial at this point. According to them, it might not be, considering the number of shocking allegations the public has heard against Diddy. They argued that it might be difficult to find an untainted jury. On the other hand, they also speculated that his celebrity status could give him a leg up.

It remains to be seen how Diddy’s case will actually play out. The long list of disturbing accusations he’s facing has certainly not stopped growing, however. This week, for example, a former RoboCop stuntman sued him over a music video audition allegedly gone wrong. The man alleges that after drinking a Diet Coke, he blacked out, and woke up to Diddy sodomizing him.

[Via]

The post Joe Budden Wonders If It’s Possible For Diddy To Have A Fair Trial appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Diddy Accuses Prosecutors Of Lying About Prison Raid

November 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy’s legal team isn’t buying federal prosecutors’ claims about not having seen the supposed “privileged notes” that were obtained during a raid on the Bad Boy mogul’s prison cell. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, argued in new legal docs obtained by TMZ that officials took pictures of 19 pages of material. That material allegedly included 11 pages of trial strategy notes and private correspondence with his defense.

Authorities previously argued that they found a manila folder labeled “legal,” but did not open it. They also allege that they took photos of Diddy’s notebook, but didn’t look at them and instead, handed them over to a “filter team” to determine whether the content was privileged. Expectedly, Diddy’s team isn’t happy about the situation.

Diddy’s Lawyer Speaks Outside Of His Arraignment

Marc Agnifilo (L), lawyer for rapper and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs, speaks outside federal court after Combs’ arraignment hearing on September 17, 2024, in New. York. A U.S. Judge on Tuesday refused a bail request from Combs and ordered the superstar rapper jailed pending his trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

“Once they got them [photos of the documents], the first thing they did was use them, specifically use them by putting them in a bail letter to keep Combs in jail,” Agnifilo argued in response to the explanation of the situation. As for the alleged raid on Diddy’s prison cell, his team previously labeled it “outrageous government conduct amounting to a substantive due process violation.” Diddy appeared in court for a hearing in the case on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

For the hearing, his lawyers requested that authorities remove his shackles so as to not attract media attention and influence possible members of the jury. Judge Arun Subramanian approved the request and Diddy entered the courtroom unrestrained. Diddy is currently residing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after pleading not guilty to charges of alleged sex trafficking and racketeering, earlier this year.

[Via]

The post Diddy Accuses Prosecutors Of Lying About Prison Raid appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly’s Lawyer Finally Gets A Win Ahead Of His Double Murder Retrial

October 23, 2024 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly’s attorney, Raven Liberty, has finally gotten a judge to agree to address 20 motions in the rapper’s retrial for an alleged double murder. As caught by NBC 6 South Florida, a status hearing in the case was held in court on Tuesday. Liberty used the opportunity to complain about the “plethora of motions” that she has been unsuccessfully trying to set hearings for over the last several months.

“I made several attempts to schedule the close to, I think, 15-20 motions that are still outstanding. We could not get state to agree with any dates and your office then told us not to contact them unless the state agrees to dates,” Liberty told the judge. The prosecution added that they’ve been getting confused by which motions are for which cases, to which Liberty added: “I don’t think there’s any motion that I have filed that date goes past May. It’s October. They’ve had time to respond.”

YNW Melly Booked In Ft. Lauderdale

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – FEBRUARY 13: In this handout photo provided by the Broward’s Sheriff’s Office, rapper Y.N.W. Melly, real name Jamell Demons, is seen in a police booking photo after being charged with two counts of murder in the first degree February. 13, 2019 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Demons allegedly conspired with Cortlen Henry to fatally shot two other Florida based rappers, Christopher Thomas Jr and Anthony Williams. October 26. (Photo by Broward’s Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)

In response, the judge told both sides, “I’ll give you dates and then whatever motions the defense wants me to hear, just file a notice of hearing… likewise state, if you have anything you want me to hear, you can file a notice of hearing for the same date and time and say this is the motions that you want me to hear. And I’ll hear them.” From there, both parties agreed to hearings on January 6th and 7th to address all of the motions.

The update comes after the judge set Melly’s new trial date for September 10, 2025, earlier this year. His first double murder trial ended in a mistrial, last year. He’s been behind bars since 2019. Be on the lookout for further updates on YNW Melly on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

The post YNW Melly’s Lawyer Finally Gets A Win Ahead Of His Double Murder Retrial appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Toronto Rapper Top5 Reveals Drake Paid For His Legal Fees After Beating Murder Case

September 23, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Top5, the Toronto rapper previously co-signed by Drake, is officially a free man after the murder case against him fell apart in court on Monday. Authorities originally arrested him back in 2021 for his alleged involvement in the murder of a 20-year-old accounting student. At the latest hearing, the judge in the case dismissed social media evidence on the basis of it being inadmissible.

According to the Toronto Star, Superior Court Justice Andras Shreck wrote in his decision that it “portrays Mr. Ali as a violent gang member with little regard for human life and who revels in the senseless killing of others. The risk that a jury will misuse this evidence and convict Mr. Ali because of his disposition is significant.”

Top5 Leaves Courtroom After Winning His Case

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

Speaking about the topic afterward, Top5’s lawyer, Gary Grill, explained the legal prejudice against rap artists. “The problem about prosecuting artists like Mr. Ali [Top5] based on their music; it fails to understand what the medium is, what’s it about, and how drillers approach their audiences,” Grill said, according to CTV News. “It’s important for all drillers to portray themselves as the biggest, baddest gangsters on the planet. That’s what sells. That’s what all drillers are doing. The way that Mr. Ali was charged in the first place was as a result of his lyrics, it was a result of the videos that he was putting out there, as a result of his medium as a drill rap artist that attracted the attention with the police.”

Top5 Shouts Out Drake For The Assist

After leaving the courthouse, Top5 shared a picture of himself on Instagram and revealed that Drake actually covered his legal fees. Shortly after the post began circulating online, he removed that note from the caption. Check out the original version as caught by DJ Akademiks below. Be on the lookout for further updates on Top5 and Drake on HotNewHipHop.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

[Via] [Via]

The post Toronto Rapper Top5 Reveals Drake Paid For His Legal Fees After Beating Murder Case appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

NBA YoungBoy Attempts To Postpone Federal Gun Case

August 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

NBA YoungBoy’s defense attorney Drew Findling believes that the rapper’s federal gun case should be postponed in order to wait for additional rulings from higher courts on similar gun cases to ensue which could set new precedents and alter the results of his trial. He made the argument in a brief he filed last Monday. The prosecution, on the other hand, argues a similar case in the U.S. Supreme Court from earlier this summer regarding Zackey Rahimi is sufficient.

YoungBoy’s legal team’s case relies on the notion that prohibiting someone’s right to own a firearm, even a felon, is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. As for the Rahimi case, it centers around whether the person in question is considered a credible threat to society. In turn, Fielding says despite YoungBoy being a felon, it was never proven he remained a danger. “After Rahimi, it is still an open question whether Congress can simply prohibit all convicted felons, regardless of the nature of the felony, from possessing a firearm, or whether such prohibitions can be applied without individualized findings that a particular defendant presents a credible threat to the safety of others. And finally, it is an open question whether such prohibitions may be permanent,” he wrote.

NBA YoungBoy Performs During Lil Baby & Friends Concert

ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 29: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Rapper NBA. YoungBoy performs onstage during Lil Baby & Friends concert to promote the new release of Lil. Baby’s new album “Street Gossip” at Coca-Cola Roxy on November 29, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Fielding hopes for a delay in the case to wait and see how United States vs. Collette and Garland v. Range play out. YoungBoy’s trial kicked off on July 25. He’s also facing legal trouble for an ongoing prescription drug fraud case in Utah. That’s already been making numerous headlines, with fans at one point interrupting the courtroom to shout “Free YB” and telling Judge Spencer Walsh to “shut your b*tch as up.”

YoungBoy’s status as a felon stems from a 2016 shootout in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a firearm. Be on the lookout for further updates on NBA YoungBoy on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

The post NBA YoungBoy Attempts To Postpone Federal Gun Case appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Tory Lanez Fan Livid With Megan Thee Stallion, Claims She Took Time Off Work To Support Him In Court

August 8, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Tory Lanez was making a ton of headlines yesterday as his sentencing hearing took place. People were anticipating his sentence to come down swiftly. However, that is not at all how things played out. Instead, the judge had numerous people speak during the proceedings. The entire hearing played out throughout the afternoon and it never concluded. According to Meghann Cuniff, the judge decided that Tory’s sentencing would continue today. This subsequently kicked off another wave of anticipation.

Moreover, we even found out that numerous people sent letters to the judge, vouching for Tory. For instance, Iggy Azalea was one of the people who reached out. Overall, this led to a ton of backlash. Although, it doesn’t seem like Iggy cares about your criticisms. As for Tory’s fans, they are hoping for a light sentence. Some of them were even at the hearing yesterday. This includes the woman below, who was recently posted on The Neighborhood Talk Instagram page.

Tory Lanez Fan Goes Off

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk)

As you can see, this young fan is absolutely livid with Megan Thee Stallion. The woman claimed that she hates Meg and that supporting Tory is costing her a lot of money. She says that she had to take time off work in order to come to the courthouse. Moreover, she lives pretty far away, which made it a long trek. In her eyes, without Meg, this whole situation would have never happened. It was a bizarre rant that invoked a whole lot of victim-blaming. Whether or not this woman will return for day 2 of Tory’s sentencing, remains to be seen.

Tory Lanez is currently facing 13 years in prison, at least that is if the prosecution gets its way. The judge has said that Tory’s actions after the shooting will be considered when giving the sentence. Let us know what you think of the proceedings, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world.

The post Tory Lanez Fan Livid With Megan Thee Stallion, Claims She Took Time Off Work To Support Him In Court appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly Tells Family “I’m Coming Home” During Recent Court Appearance

August 4, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The drama surrounding YNW Melly and his long-running courtroom drama has taken yet another turn. A few weeks ago the judge in the case declared a mistrial after the jury couldn’t come to a definitive verdict. In the weeks since the prosecution made it clear that they would be seeking out a mistrial. Late last week that paperwork was formerly filed and the date for Melly’s next trial was set. The second trial is officially set to begin on October 2nd, a full five years after the shooting Melly is on trial for.

Now it appears YNW Melly may know something we don’t. In a recent court appearance cameras caught Melly mouthing a message to his family. That message is “I’m coming home,” which carries some massive implications despite its brevity. It’s unclear exactly what Melly meant but fans online began speculating immediately. Melly is retaining his legal team from the first trial for the second one. Perhaps he is confident that with a second time around they will have an even stronger defense that can result in an innocent plea. You can watch the short clip of Melly’s message below.

YNW Melly’s Message To Family

#YNWMellyTrial2: @YNWMelly grins and says, “I’m coming home” to family in the gallery as he leaves the courtroom. #ynwmelly #melly #ynwmellytrial pic.twitter.com/XfuEC0rBBi

— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) August 4, 2023

In the wake of the mistrial being declared stories began to leak out to the public on how it went down. Initially, YNW Melly’s mother claimed that the jury came down 9-3 in favor of Melly, leading to a mistrial. Later a reporter who has been covering the case disputed the claim and insisted that the jury was hung on a 6-6 split tie.

Later on, one juror spoke publicly about the proceedings and had a very different take. “From day one, she had issues with the foreperson selected, at one point crossing her arms and saying she was ‘Done!’ When another juror asked to not shut down and set her feelings aside, she exploded. She was explosive, manipulative, she was rude, she yelled insults at anyone who had a different opinion. She was there to cause chaos,” the juror explained. What do you think of YNW Melly’s newest message to his family? Let us know in the comment section below.

[Via]

The post YNW Melly Tells Family “I’m Coming Home” During Recent Court Appearance appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Lizzo Update: “Special” Singer Could Face Trial Over Former Dancers’ Troubling Allegations

August 4, 2023 by newhiphopnews

As much as we would like to believe that the accusations about Lizzo earlier this week aren’t true, the Detroit native’s former dancers continue to stand their ground. On Tuesday (August 1), they filed a lawsuit against the multi-talent and others on her team, explicitly accusing them of creating a hostile work environment, among other things. One of the plaintiffs accused Lizzo – a plus-sized woman known for empowering others to love the skin they’re in – of fat-shaming her before eventually firing her for weight-related causes. Elsewhere, the dancers allege that the Yitty CEO pressured them to break their boundaries during a trip to a wild Amsterdam strip club.

As the gossip has been making rounds online this week, Lizzo responded via Instagram on Thursday (August 3). Many, including her past employees, were unsatisfied with the message, notably calling the 35-year-old out for seemingly glazing over the allegations of sexual harassment in favour of only addressing weight shaming. An attorney for her former dancers, Neama Rahmani, has now entered the chat and suggests we may see Lizzo in court over the situation.

Alleged Lizzo Victims’ Attorney Suggests Trial After Singer Responds to Lawsuit

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating)

“Given Lizzo is denying that any of this happened, let’s take it to trial,” the West Coast Employment Lawyers president declared this week. “More witnesses are coming forward every day corroborating the plaintiffs’ allegations, so we’re looking forward to facing Lizzo and her team in court,” they added. While there are others who have shared their own unpleasant experiences working with the “Truth Hurts” hitmaker, internet sleuths have also uncovered videos of the same past employees who are currently taking legal action previously praising their boss for inspiring them with her work.

Part of what’s left the world so confused about the troubling allegations about Lizzo is her frequent messages about body positivity and self-acceptance in her music. Check out our recent report on some of her most noteworthy lyrics at the link below, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

[Via]

The post Lizzo Update: “Special” Singer Could Face Trial Over Former Dancers’ Troubling Allegations appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Jonathan Majors Trial Delayed To Next Month

August 3, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Back in March, many were shocked to hear the news that Jonathan Majors has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a woman. That woman was his girlfriend and the arrest ultimately resulted in assault and harassment charges. In the wake of the news Majors was dropped from multiple ongoing projects and even reportedly recast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since then Majors has begun dating Meagan Good and the pair have made a number of appearances together both in public and in court.

Fans have been hostile towards Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good ever since they began dating. As they were repeatedly spotted shopping and having dinner at various places around LA, fan backlash towards both of them grew. That became even more pronounced when Meagan Good began attending court alongside Majors during the early processes of his trial. She has continued to appear in court alongside him and was there yesterday, when the trial was set to begin. Now, according to The Shade Room that date has been pushed back. The new trial date is set for September 6th.

Jonathan Majors New Trial Date

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Unsurprisingly, fans had a lot to say about the pair following their most recent public appearance. The top comments under The Shade Room‘s post echoes long-standing sentiments. “This whole relationship is just further proof Hollywood will date anyone just to make their IMAGE look good. He’ll hop on the next yt girl after this case is over.” Another comment takes aim at Meagan Good directly. “Imagine leaving your good clean husband to go support a man you just started dating in court for allegedly domestic violence you can’t make this sh*t up.”

In the wake of Majors’s arrest allegations began to emerge from his past. Alleged behavior dating as far back as his time at Yale hit the media back in June. Majors had denied all of the allegations made against him. Last month What do you think of Meagan Good continuing to attend court alongside Jonathan Majors? Let us know in the comment section below.

[Via]

The post Jonathan Majors Trial Delayed To Next Month appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Kevin Spacey Found Not Guilt Of Sexual Assault Charges In U.K.

July 26, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Kevin Spacey broke down into tears at a U.K. courtroom after a jury found him not guilty of nine charges relating to sexual assault and indecent assault, as well as causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity. The jury, consisting of nine men and three women, spent two days deciding the case after hearing the details over a four-and-a-half-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. After the jury read the verdict, Spacey addressed a crowd of media members outside.

“I imagine that many of you can understand that there’s a lot for me to process after what has just happened today. But I would like to say that I am enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts carefully before they reached the decision,” Spacey told the media.

Kevin Spacey Addresses The Media

He continued: “And I am humbled by the outcome today. I also want to thank the staff inside this courthouse, the security and all those who took care of us every single day, my legal team … for being here every day and that’s all I have to say for the moment. Thank you very much.”

Throughout the trial, four different men who made the complaints against the actor spoke. The most serious complaint stemmed from a man who claimed to have regained consciousness in Spacey’s London apartment with the actor performing oral sex on him. Spacey argued the encounter was consensual. Had the jury found him guilty, the charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Kevin Spacey Thanks The Jury

Kevin Spacey spoke to press after being cleared of all sexual assault charges in the U.K. “I am enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts carefully before they reached the decision.” https://t.co/zmP0695pDp pic.twitter.com/LBRPvhilFP

— Variety (@Variety) July 26, 2023

The legal victory for Spacey comes after he won a $40 million civil lawsuit brought by actor Anthony Rapp, last October. Rapp previously accused Spacey of committing sexual battery against him in 1986.

[Via]

The post Kevin Spacey Found Not Guilt Of Sexual Assault Charges In U.K. appeared first on HotNewHipHop.