Rapper Rick Ross turned himself in to Miami Beach authorities Thursday morning to face felony and misdemeanor battery charges stemming from a domestic violence incident allegedly occurring last month at his residence on the exclusive Star Island.
The 50-year-old artist, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, faces one count of felony battery by strangulation and one count of misdemeanor battery. He has entered a plea of not guilty to both charges.
According to the Miami Beach Police Department’s sworn affidavit, the incident took place on the morning of August 28th at Ross’s Star Island home. The woman, identified as Ross’s girlfriend at the time, filed a police report on Tuesday detailing the alleged assault. She provided investigators with both a sworn statement and photographic evidence documenting her injuries.
The affidavit outlines a disturbing sequence of events. Police records indicate that Ross became enraged after his girlfriend was tagged in an Instagram photograph. He allegedly accused her of lying and struck her across the face. Later that same morning, during a dispute about her relationship with another individual, Ross allegedly struck the woman multiple times in the chest.
The most serious charge stems from allegations that Ross choked the woman by grasping and twisting the collar of her hoodie, restricting her ability to breathe. The woman further told investigators that Ross grabbed her by her ponytail and slammed her against a wall before she managed to escape the residence.
According to the police affidavit, the couple had been dating for approximately one year and were cohabitating at the Miami Beach property at the time of the alleged incident. The woman stated she returned to the home after Ross departed to collect her belongings.
Ross achieved commercial success in 2006 with his breakout single “Hustlin'” and has since established himself as a prominent figure in the hip-hop industry. His catalog includes notable tracks such as “Aston Martin Music” and “Stay Schemin.” Throughout his career, Ross has received nine Grammy nominations, cementing his status within the recording industry.
Bond was set at $5,000 for the felony strangulation charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor battery charge, according to jail records. An attorney representing Ross did not respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations.
This case serves as another reminder of the serious nature of domestic violence across all socioeconomic strata. The legal system will now proceed with examining the evidence and testimony to determine the facts of this matter.
Individuals experiencing domestic violence can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE for confidential support and resources.
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