The photos that were supposed to help build the case against Rick Ross ended up at the center of his lawyer’s argument for knocking it down.
Prosecutors in Miami have declined to file a felony battery by strangulation charge against the rapper, citing insufficient evidence, according to court documents filed Thursday.
Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, still isn’t in the clear. Prosecutors instead filed one count of misdemeanor domestic violence battery, a first-degree misdemeanor, and the case now moves to Miami-Dade County Court.
The charges trace back to an alleged incident on Aug. 28 at Ross’s Star Island residence. A woman told investigators the Maybach Music Group founder became upset over a photograph she was tagged in on Instagram, and the incident was reported to Miami Beach police on Sept. 29.
According to the arrest report, she accused Ross of slapping her, striking her several times and restricting her breathing by grabbing the collar of her hoodie.
Investigators said she provided photographs of her injuries along with a sworn statement. Police also reviewed surveillance video from the property.
Ross surrendered to detectives at Miami Beach police headquarters on Oct. 1. He was taken into custody and charged with a felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery.
His attorney, Bradley Horenstein, appeared in a Miami court on Friday and didn’t hide the relief in his client’s camp. “He’s very happy that the State Attorney’s Office chose not to file the felony charge,” Horenstein told CBS News Miami.
Horenstein was blunt about what had been hanging over Ross. “They said that he strangled this woman,” he said, adding that the state attorney’s office has dropped that strangulation count.
A felony charge is very serious,” he said. “And the allegations of strangling someone are very serious.”
His main line of attack focused on the same set of photos the woman gave police. “Those photographs, they also show her neck and there’s no evidence on her neck of strangulation or asphyxia or anything like that,” he said.
That’s the defense’s read, but prosecutors didn’t walk away from the case entirely. By filing the domestic violence battery count, the State Attorney’s Office is still pursuing the core accusation that Ross put his hands on the woman.
They also swapped out the original misdemeanor battery charge from the arrest for this more specific domestic violence count.
Ross himself has denied everything, calling the allegations fabricated. That puts his account in direct conflict with the woman’s sworn statement, and a courtroom is now where those two versions will get tested.
Horenstein is asking the public for patience. “Just like we asked at the beginning for everyone to hold off rushing to judgment, we’re going to ask that you just wait for it all to play out in court and the truth will all come out,” he said.
For now, there’s no confirmed date for Ross’s next appearance. CBS News Miami says it’s still working to pin down when the rapper is due back in court.
