trial

Troy Ave Testifies At Taxstone’s Murder Trial

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Troy Ave took the stand at Taxstone’s murder trial for the killing of his bodyguard, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, on Monday. Troy reportedly told the jury he and McPhatter were in the VIP section of Irving Plaza when they ran into Taxstone, with whom they had a longstanding feud. He explained that tensions were high as they introduced themselves.

“Banga turns around to me and says, ‘I’m gonna rock him,’ which means, ‘I’m gonna hit him,’” Troy Ave testified. “And then I wink at him—I tell him, ‘Do your thing.’” From there, Troy explained that Tax pulled out a gun and shot McPhatter. Troy then wrestled for the gun with Tax, which resulted in him being shot in the legs.

Troy Ave Performing In 2015

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 17: Troy Ave performs onstage as Coors Light Soundtrack reFRESH brings DJ Mustard, Fabolous and special guests To NYC at Stage 48 on November 17, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Coors Light)

“When the shot goes off I see the light from the spark and I hear the shot,” he testified. “This is all happening fast. I get up and start fighting Taxstone, trying to take him, grab the gun, and another shot goes off. I put my leg up to kind of block the shot from hitting me in the face or chest. I got up. I’d rather die fighting. People die from leg shots. I’d rather die fighting than laying on the ground. I got up immediately.”

Before taking the stand, Troy shared a photo of Jay-Z testifying in a 2021 lawsuit on Instagram. He captioned the picture: “To all my real ones that been riding with & for Me, today is the day I finally get to clear my name. It’s been almost 7 years since I lost one of my closest friends #RIPBANGA, 7 years of a narrative about it being my fault, 7 years of my character being assassinated all the while Trying to defend myself without saying much! I took it all on the chin, never complained about the stress even tho I felt it. Never complained about the pain even tho it hurt! Never shed a tear even tho my heart was crying! At my weakest points I drew strength from GOD! drew strength from my Children & drew strength from Yall but today.”

Troy Ave’s Instagram Post

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Hurricane Chris Victim Gets Compared To Deebo From “Friday” In Court

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Grammy-nominated rapper Hurricane Chris is now on trial for a shooting that occurred in June 2020. He’s facing murder charges after shooting Danzeria O. Ferris Jr. in Louisiana. The incident took place on June 19th when Hurricane, whose real name is Christopher Dooley, claimed to have caught Ferris trying to steal his car outside of a gas station. Due to the misunderstanding, the musician shot Danzeria, which quickly proved to be fatal.

After the shooting, officers arrived at the scene to find Danzeria with several gunshot wounds. The man later passed away in the hospital. It is reported that Ferris Jr. had his final moments at the Texaco on Hollywood Avenue. Now, Hurricane’s trial is officially beginning three years later. Despite the fact that he was driving a stolen car, he is confident in his innocence. In a weird turn of events, the rapper’s lawyer compared the victim to a Friday character, Deebo. Not only did the lawyer make the comparison verbally, but they also showed a photo of the actor to the jury.

Hurricane Chris Lawyer Compares Victim To Movie Character

After the shooting on June 19th, Hurricane Chris is now being charged with second-degree murder. He is also being charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Interestingly enough, this is the same vehicle that the artist believes was stolen by the now-deceased victim. After the artist’s attorney made his comparison, 911 phone calls were played for the jury. The audio was reportedly so distressing that a woman left the courtroom.

Hurricane is currently pleading not guilty. His defense team is claiming self-defense as the cause of the incident. Despite how confident he is about his innocence, many people are not buying his excuse. Especially given the apparent low blow made by his attorney comparing the dead victim to a movie character. The fact that Chris was driving a stolen car has also caused some people to raise their eyebrows. The trial started recently on March 8th. While the trial is still in its early stage of development, many people believe that the case is a pretty open-and-shut one. Check back later for any updates on the trial.

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Prosecutor Labels XXXTentacion’s Alleged Killers “Predators”

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Florida prosecutor Pascale Achille called the alleged killers of XXXTentacion “predators” during closing arguments to the jury on Tuesday. In doing so, she played cellphone videos that showed the defendants smiling and dancing just hours after the murder as they flashed $100 bills for the camera. The three men are co-defendants Michael Boatwright, Dedrick Williams, and Trayvon Newsome. They are all charged with first-degree murder and face mandatory life sentences if convicted.

“This is who they are. This is their real character. Killers that within 24 hours after shooting the victim dead and stealing $50,000 from him, this is what they do,” Achille told the jury as she played the video. “Look at how happy they look. Look at how excited they look.”

XXXTentacion Tribute In L.A.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 15: A view of a tribute to slain rapper XXXtentacion during day 2 of Rolling Loud Festival at Banc of California Stadium on December 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

In the trial, Boatwright, 28, is accused of being the shooter, while Newsome, 24, is accused of being a separate gunman. Williams, 26, is accused of being the driver for the crime. A fourth suspect, Robert Allen, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, last year, and testified against the three men.

One of the strategies defense attorneys tried to use was to pin the killing on Drake. Attorney Mauricio Padilla cited an Instagram post from XXXTentacion in which he claimed, “If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi [Drake]. I’m snitching RN.” X later quickly deleted the post and retracted the statement, claiming his account had been hacked. “Before X died, he said, ‘If anybody kills me, it’s Drake.’ Do you think sitting here years later, any detective has ever asked Drake or anybody like that? No,” Padilla argued, according to Complex. “This is one of the biggest celebrities in the world. Excluding an order from this court, we all know that I will never be able to take his deposition.” Attorneys eventually got a deposition scheduled for Drake on February 24, but the Toronto rapper ended up being able to get out of it.

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Witness In YSL Case Believed To Be In Danger After Interrogation Leaks Online

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis says that she’s concerned for a witness’ safety after footage of their interrogation for the YSL trial leaked online. The video shows an unidentified man speaking with authorities for the case against Young Thug. It has over 30 million views online. Willis says that she’s unsure how the video got out, but that the prosecution has possessed it for over a year. They only handed over to the defense two months ago.

“It puts people’s lives in danger,” Willis told WSB-TV‘s Mark Winne. “My worst fear is that it is used as an intimidating tactic and people might be hurt.” Willis noted a large number of comments on a YouTube post of the video that threaten the man’s life. In the viral video, the man appears to tell investigators, “This is a murder that’s about to take place with some very hot people, and [inaudible] the stuff that I know right now should be able to help me get out my situation.” Defense Attorney Keith Adams addressed the leak saying, “I’m happy to have them make a determination or find out where it came from. I know it didn’t come from us!”

Young Thug Prior To His Arrest

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 12: Hip-hop artist Young Thug arrives at a release party for his new album “PUNK” at Delilah on October 12, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)

Willis has since filed a motion that would mandate that defense attorneys can only view similar videos in her office and cannot record them. In response, Adams said: “You don’t just file a motion and make these allegations when you’ve got absolutely no basis to back that up, and that’s what’s happened in this case.” Adams says not allowing him to make copies would be unconstitutional as it would limit their access to evidence that could help them defend their clients. He added that he doesn’t believe a defense attorney leaked the video.

The YSL trial is still many months off from kicking off. Through May, more than 1,200 jurors will appear in court to watch a pre-recorded reading of the indictment for the YSL case. They will also be hearing the preliminary jury instructions, filling out a questionnaire, and more.

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Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Lawyer Claims Sex With His Accuser Was Consensual

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Cuba Gooding Jr.‘s lawyer, Gary Becker, says that his client had consensual sex with the woman who has accused him of raping her inside a New York City hotel room in 2013. Becker explained his plans for the trial to US District Court Judge Paul A. Crotty during a status conference in Manhattan federal court. He said that the defense will call two witnesses to trial who claim that the accuser returned to the bar where she met Gooding earlier in the same night and boasted about having consensual sex with him. Becker’s co-counsel, Ed Sapone, stated afterward that they actually have three witnesses from the bar.

The accuser, identified as “Jane Doe,” brought a lawsuit against Gooding in 2020, claiming that the actor raped her at Manhattan’s Mercer hotel in 2013. They had met at a bar in Greenwich Village earlier in the night. She says that she repeatedly told Gooding “no” and that he also attacked her a second time before she could flee the room.

Cuba Gooding Jr. In Court

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 13: Cuba Gooding Jr. Arrives at NYS Supreme Court for sentencing on October 13, 2022 in New York City. The Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., plead guilty to charges of forcible touching and sex abuse. The criminal charges Gooding plead guilty to were brought against him after a worker at a New York nightclub alleged he forcibly kissed her, while he also faced charges stemming from three other incidents in which he stood accused of forcible touching or abuse. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

A defense attorney for Jane Doe, Casey Wolnowski, says that he’s “aware of these witnesses” but “vehemently denies their views on what transpired.” He added that he’s “confident the jury is going to give” his client’s testimony “the weight it deserves.”

A trial date for the case has not been set, but both parties discussed options on Monday. Judge Crotty confirmed he wants it done in 2023. “We’re not putting the trial off for a year,” he said, according to Insider. Crotty also complained about Gooding Jr’s team bringing up issues with evidence prepared by the accuser. “The time for discovery is over. Let’s get on with the trial,” the judge said.

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Young Thug’s YSL RICO Trial Will Reportedly Call 1,200 Potential Jurors

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Young Thug’s RICO trial will reportedly call 1,200 potential jurors for evaluation, according to legal documents obtained by AllHipHop. While authorities arrested Thug and the rest of the YSL codefendants almost a year ago, the trial still isn’t underway. Moreover, it’s been subject to a lengthy and delayed jury selection process, which is no closer to completion after hundreds of participants. Furthermore, this selection process could take several more months, which only means more time behind bars in this high-profile case.

Still, the documents read as such: “The Jury Clerk shall send a sufficient number of subpoenas to result in the appearance of an additional 1200 prospective trial jurors: 300 on February 24, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.; 300 on March 17, 2023 at 9:30 AM; 300 on April 28, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.; and 300 on May 19, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. The prospective jurors will watch a pre-recorded reading of the indictment for this case and hear preliminary jury instructions from Chief Judge Glanville on these respective dates.” In addition, prospective jurors will have to answer a questionnaire from the court under oath and participate in “potential hardships” examinations, which aim to identify factors such as mental or physical disability.

Young Thug Trial Evaluating 1,200 Jurors

Meanwhile, Thugger’s list of witnesses includes accomplished music executives Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles. While his trial seems no closer to completion than it was months ago, at least he has people on his side. In the months left in the jury selection process, perhaps they’ll take advantage of the extra time to really think about what will go down- and how they’ll go about it. Meanwhile, many on social media and beyond are concerned for a witness’s life after an interrogation video leaked. Afterwards, many called the witness a rat and threatened his safety.

“This is a murder that’s about to take place with some very hot people,” they said in the leak. “And [inaudible] the stuff that I know right now should be able to help me get out my situation.” While it’s unclear whether this report refers to Lil Woody, if it’s not, that was another case of alleged snitching that many threatened. “It puts people’s lives in danger,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis stated. “My worst fear is that it is used as an intimidating tactic and people might be hurt.” Also, she wants Judge Glanville to open an investigation into the leak, which many believe might’ve come from the defense. However, defense attorney Keith Adams denied such claims, and pushed back on the D.A. wanting to restrict court access to the video. Regardless, stick around on HNHH for the latest on Young Thug and the YSL RICO case.

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Detective Testifies In XXXTentacion Trial

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A detective involved in the investigation into the murder of XXXTentacion has taken the stand in the trial of those accused of killing the South Florida rapper. He says that suspect Dedrick Williams changed his story several times. He also confirmed that the suspect never mentioned Drake, Migos, or any other rap groups as having hired him. The defense previously suggested that Drake may have been involved in the killing.

On the stand, the detective explained that Williams changed his story for a third time after being told that the property had security cameras. In addition to Williams, Michael Boatwright and Trayvon Newsome have also been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery regarding X’s death. The group faces up to life in prison if convicted.

The Detective’s Testimony

As for Drake’s involvement, the defense cited a tweet from XXXTentacion prior to his death during their opening statements. “Before X died, he said, ‘If anybody kills me, it’s Drake.’ Do you think sitting here years later, any detective has ever asked Drake or anybody like that? No,” attorney Mauricio Padilla said according to Complex. “This is one of the biggest celebrities in the world. Excluding an order from this court, we all know that I will never be able to take his deposition.”

They ended up getting their wish and Drake has a deposition scheduled for February 24. “If deponent Aubrey Drake Graham does not appear to deposition he must appear before this court on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 at 10 a.m. EST at so [sic] the court can determine why he should not be held in contempt,” the motion reads. Outside of the out of context tweet from X, there’s no other evidence of Drake being involved in his killing.

Fans mostly responded to the detective’s testimony with doubt about Drake’s involvement. “They want tickets to Drake’s concerts so badly,” one wrote on a post from DJ Akademiks. Another added: “They want drake so damn bad. It should be illegal to try and drag a random man into court for a MURDER case and potentially ruin his career or life. It’s so weird.”

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YSL RICO Trial: Jury Selection Becoming Increasingly Difficult

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The YSL case continues as new developments emerge regularly, even before any of the defendants appeared in court. Over the past two months, there have been shocking updates and incidents in court. At one point, Young Thug nearly faced new charges after a co-defendant handed him a Percocet pill inside the courtroom. The individual was immediately reprimanded and found with other substances on his person. Then, there was a recent update surrounding two defense attorneys who revealed they were pregnant.

However, the most strenuous process as part of this case is jury selection. Since the beginning of the process, there have been many delays and issues surrounding those who might serve on the jury. A judge ordered one potential juror to write an essay on the importance of jury selection after skipping town on a vacation. Then, another faced a contempt charge for allegedly contacting a reporter. 

Jury Selection In YSL Case Drawn Out 

At this point, it seems as though it’s going to take a long time before the actual trial starts. Jury selection in the YSL RICO trial has undoubtedly been drawn out for over a month as more potential jurors entered the court. Per Fox 5 Atlanta, hundreds of potential jurors have been summoned to the court, though there has been an abundance of hardship deferrals since there’s a chance the case will be nearly a year long. So far, the defense and prosecutors have yet to find a single juror for the case.

It seems as though the jury selection process is on par with predictions that it would last up to four months. Since the case includes a number of co-defendants, as well as high-profile suspects, the trial for Young Thug and YSL will undoubtedly take significantly longer than it would any other case. However, it appears that defense attorneys are hoping for a mistrial. Earlier this week, footage of YSL Woody inside an interrogation room surfaced. In the clip, Woody reveals information about YSL and Young Thug as well as the ongoing feud with YFN Lucci. An attorney for one of the defendants recently filed a motion to dismiss the trial. We’ll keep you posted on any more updates regarding the case. 

XXXTENTACION Fan Explains Posting Snapchat Of Late Rapper After His Death

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Celebrity trials have been steadily feeding the news cycle lately. The final months of 2022 saw Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s demise play out in court, and Tory Lanez has been behind bars since December in the aftermath of his legal battle with Megan Thee Stallion. Most recently, we’re finally seeing the murder trial for XXXTENTACION, who was tragically killed in 2018, play out.

The past few weeks have brought forward plenty of interesting information. Among the headlines, we’ve seen Drake narrowly escaping a deposition as well as defense lawyers attempting to use the late rapper’s alleged cheating against him posthumously. The latter was denied last week, and during recent sessions, the topics of conversation have become more serious.

On Tuesday (February 14), Scott Barbieux gave his testimony. The young man is a fan of XXXTENTACION, and he and his ex-girlfriend happened to be shopping at RIVA Motorsports on the same day as him. They were checking out bikes when the robbery and fatal shooting of the Florida native took place before their eyes. When the criminals fled the scene, Barbieux approached the artist’s body before taking a photo and posting it on Snapchat.

During court, Prosecutor Pascale Achille spoke with the witness, asking, “Do you recall taking a photograph with your phone of Mr. Onfroy after he was shot and seated in his vehicle?” He responded yes, and when pressed for an explanation as to why Barbieux explained that he “was a big fan” and “wanted to have a photo to remember that forever.”

In this handout provided by the Miami Dade County Corrections, Rapper XXXTentacion, also known as Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy poses for his mugshot after being charged with seven new felonies stemming from a 2016 domestic violence case on December 15, 2017 in Miami, Florida. The new charges are for witness tampering and harassment. (Photo by Miami Dade County Corrections via Getty Images)

Before the shooting took place, he and his girlfriend crossed paths with XXX elsewhere in the motorcycle shop. At the time he asked for a photo but was denied the opportunity. After witnessing the shooting, Barbieux says he touched the father of one’s body before taking the photo. After giving him a shake, he realized that the young performer had passed on.

Achille asked the witness if he was compensated for his Snapchat upload, to which he said, “No.” Barbieux also noted that the photo was taken down immediately so it didn’t have a chance to go viral. Read more recent updates from the courthouse here, and listen to the aforementioned testimony in the video below at the 4:48:56 mark.

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FKA Twigs & Shia LaBeouf’s Trial Facing Delays Due To Hectic Work Schedules

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Unfortunately for FKA Twigs, her love life has frequently become tabloid fodder over the years. She previously dated Twilight star Robert Pattinson. Their relationship, unfortunately, fell apart partially due to the racism she endured at the hands of the franchise’s fans. Aside from that, the time she spent romancing former child star Shia LaBeouf has also caught the public’s eye.

The pair first met in 2018 on the set of Honey Boy and found themselves falling for one another quickly. According to Femstella, the film’s creator “dramatically professed his love” just a week or two into dating. By October of that year, LaBeouf convinced Twigs to join him at his home in Los Angeles. This is when their union became abusive in nature.

Court documents allege that the Disney alumn would berate and verbally assault the English actress for hours at a time. He also reportedly trapped her in their bedroom for lengthy periods. At that time he was suffering from delusions that gang members would break into their home. LaBeouf apparently slept with a rifle by the couple’s bedside. He also forced Twigs to watch documentaries specifically focusing on murdered women.

By November 2018, the Caprisongs vocalist began her plan to escape, though in February 2019 she woke up to find her partner “violently squeezing her body and arms.” Around the same time, the 35-year-old was knowingly infected with an STD by the Holes actor, who admitted to being diagnosed a year earlier and attempting to hide his flare-ups from her. In the months after this, they finally went their separate ways, and by December 2020, Twigs filed a lawsuit.

FKA Twigs attends Simone Rocha at The Great Hall at Lincoln’s Inn during London Fashion Week February 2022 on February 20, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford/Getty Images)

The “killer” songstress is suing LaBeouf for sexual battery, battery assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and gross negligence. As Radar Online notes, their trial was due to begin on April 17th, though it’s now facing delays until much later this year. Most likely, we’ll see the former couple in court on November 1st or December 6th.

Lawyers for both parties provided an update to the court earlier this week. Twigs’ states that she lives out of the country and is currently “working on entertainment projects.” For her ex, the story is mostly the same as he’s been busy filming Francis Ford Coppola’s $100M epic, Megalopolis. The actor has been spotted in various feminine costumes as of late, including gold sky-high heels and sheer white dresses.

At this time, a judge has yet to sign off on the trial’s postponement, but because neither star has sat for a deposition, it’s likely the motion will be approved. While LaBeouf is hard at work on his potential industry comeback, Twigs is eagerly awaiting The Crow reboot, which finds her starring opposite Bill Skarsgård. Read all about the role she plays in that here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.

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