Rick Ross arrested, rapper faces domestic violence charges

Renowned American rapper Rick Ross was arrested on Thursday in Florida on domestic violence charges, US media report.

According to Miami-Dade authorities’ records, published by Page Six, Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts II, faced charges of battery by strangulation and battery.

He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 06:10 in the morning. Bail for the two charges against him was set at $5,000 and $1,000 respectively.

His court hearing is scheduled for October 22, according to CBS News.

The arrest follows recent accusations by the rapper’s ex-girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, who has accused Ross of physical violence. According to law-enforcement sources cited by TMZ, Kendrick contacted police on Tuesday and claimed Ross had been violent towards her.

She claims the incident took place on August 28, when Ross allegedly woke her from sleep and became physically aggressive towards her after a conflict related to a social-media photograph in which she had been tagged.

According to her statement to police, Kendrick claims Ross hit her in the face after she denied having cheated on him.

The rapper’s ex-girlfriend has also made more serious claims, stating that he had hit her several times in the chest, grabbed her by the neck to the point where she could not breathe, and grabbed her by the hair and slammed her against a wall.

Kendrick is reported to have also handed authorities photographs which, according to her, showed the injuries she sustained.

Ross later turned himself in to police, while it is reported that he did not discuss the accusations with the authorities. He has pleaded not guilty.

His lawyers, Steve Sadow and Bradley Horenstein, told TMZ that the rapper has been “falsely accused” by his ex-girlfriend and that her motives are unclear.

“Mr Roberts is innocent and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He respectfully asks that friends, fans and the wider public not prejudge the situation and allow the judicial process to run its course,” the lawyers said.

Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether Ross’s arrest is directly linked to the recent public accusations made by Jazzma Kendrick.

Over the weekend, Kendrick published a close-up photograph of her face, claiming it was taken “the day Rick split my lip and the day I left”.

“Everything is always fine, until it isn’t. If a man hits you once, he will do it again. Don’t give him the chance. Value your life and walk away,” she wrote.

The case remains under development and the charges against Rick Ross will be examined in court proceedings.