Carlee Russell, a 23-year-old college student, was reported missing on June 20th. Her disappearance captured media attention and stirred public concern as desperate search efforts were launched to locate her. For days, friends, family, and concerned citizens rallied together hoping for her safe return. However, suspicions arose as inconsistencies surfaced in Russell’s story, raising doubts about the authenticity of her abduction.

Investigation and Discovery:

Law enforcement agencies immediately launched an intensive investigation into Russell’s disappearance. Substantial time, resources, and manpower were dedicated to locating her. Her case became a priority due to the potential danger she might be facing.

However, as the investigation progressed, discrepancies and contradictions were uncovered in Russell’s statements. Detectives worked tirelessly, conducting interviews and analyzing evidence to sort out the truth. Gradually, it became evident that Russell’s claims of being abducted were baseless.

During the municipal court hearing, evidence was presented that undoubtedly proved Russell’s guilt. The court learned that she had intentionally manipulated the circumstances to suggest she had been abducted. Various witnesses, including friends, relatives, and acquaintances, testified against Russell, providing compelling evidence of her involvement in fabricating the crime.

Russell’s own statements also played a significant role in the court’s decision. Inconsistencies emerged during her interactions with law enforcement, leading investigators to doubt the veracity of her claims. Additionally, technological evidence, such as phone records and surveillance footage, further discredited her accounts.

Bench Trial:

After considering all the evidence presented, Judge Brad Bishop found Carlee Russell guilty of filing a false police report and perpetrating a bogus crime. Recognizing the seriousness of her actions and the impact on the community, the judge issued a fine of $18,000 in restitution. This sum aims to cover the extensive costs incurred during the investigation and search for Russell.

Russell, who pleaded not guilty in the case, will appeal the decision to the circuit court. Following the hearing, Russell’s attorney Emory Anthony explained why they have decided to appeal the case.

“We stipulated and appealed the case and the reason behind it was that they’re trying to ask for jail time, which we totally disagree with,” Anthony said. “So, in fairness, there’s no need of having a trial here, knowing their position. So we have stipulated and appealed the case and we’ll start anew in the Bessemer circuit court.”

Reactions and Implications:

The judge’s decision has sparked mixed reactions among the general public. While many feel a sense of betrayal, others empathize with Russell, considering both her actions and the potential underlying motives. The case has served as a reminder of the importance of responsible reporting in criminal investigations, as it diverts valuable resources and compromises public safety.

The consequences of Russell’s actions extend beyond the legal ramifications. Trust in law enforcement and public sympathy for future abduction cases may be affected as a consequence of this incident. The media’s coverage and public curiosity surrounding such cases may also be scrutinized more thoroughly, with a focus on verifying stories before sensationalizing them.

The Aftermath:

Carlee Russell’s guilty ruling serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the potential repercussions of false crime reporting. It also underlines the importance of conducting thorough investigations to preserve public trust and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately.

As the legal process concludes, it is hoped that these events will prompt a broader conversation about accountability, mental health, and the impact that false reporting can have on genuine victims of crimes.

The post After A Bench Trial Carlee Russell Is Facing A Possible 1-Year Sentence in County Jail first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Longtime manager of rap star Ludacris, Chaka Zulu along with his legal team headed by former Fulton County prosecutor Gabe Banks, civil rights attorney Mawuli Davis and criminal defense attorney Akil Secret held a press conference to discuss the murder charges filed against Zulu by Atlanta Police Department and why they believe the charges are without merit.

TMZ obtained exclusive footage of the shooting below:

https://share.tmz.com/watch/2022-09-21-092122-chaka-zulu-v2-1488966-021/

The attorneys for music executive Chaka Zulu want police to drop the murder charges against him and they believe the newly released video footage will paint a different picture. Zulu, who’s real name is Ahmed Obafemi, is the longtime manager of Atlanta rapper Ludacris. He was arrested after a fight outside the APT 4B restaurant in June.

Atlanta police said Zulu shot and killed 23-year-old Artez Benton outside the restaurant, where Zulu hosts a special night there on Sundays which is by invite only and you need a password to get into the club. Zulu was also shot in the back that night but has since recovered from his injuries. The begging question for many is why weren’t others charged that night even though the video shows others were involved in the assault as well.

District attorney Fani Willis has not decided to charge Chaka Zulu but we will will be following this story as things develop.

The post Video Alert: Music Executive Chaka Zulu Facing Murder Charges After Defending Himself from Beatdown: Lawyers Speak Out first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

In a new court filing U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace wants a federal judge to rescind the bond of Christopher “DeBoski” Gunn for alleged violations of his pre-release conditions which centers around alleged use of marijuana while on bond, alleged intimidation of a witness or victim in his case and leaving his home while on bond. The motion interestingly references a video in which Gunn posted to his youtube channel where he claims an “informant” is threatening his life. While we can’t confirm the voice on the video is in fact an informant but it does appear the person on the video has threatened to shoot Dunn and was asking the person in the video about having access to the defendant’s address.

Listen to the video below:

Apparently from the court filing it does appear that there is some type of connection with the voice in the video and the government’s case against Christopher Gunn otherwise why would this not be treated as a potential crime? The hearing is scheduled for 2:00pm today and we will be updating the story at the conclusion of the hearing.

The post Breaking! Federal Prosecutors Are Asking A judge to Revoke Bond of #RKelly “Super Fan” first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

In one video recorded nearby the federal courthouse in Brooklyn and walking distance from the U.S. Attorney’s office a man purporting to be Gunn stated the following:

“I want y’all to get real familiar with this building I’m about to pull up and show to you…Imma show you where we’re gonna be going. And we gonna get real familiar with this building, and this building is gonna get real familiar with the enterprise, also known as Kelly Steppers…We know who is that if Kelly goes down, everybody’s going down.”

In the same video he displays an image of the U.S. Attorney’s office which is located on Cadman Plaza suggesting where his viewers can locate the prosecutors. “That’s where they at…that’s where they work at…we’re going to storm they office. We’re gonna storm (he goes on to name the three assistant U.S. attorneys that prosecuted R. Kelly). To make matters worse DeBoski received a series of donations or payments for the sale of ammunition using the popular payment app Square with those transactions referring former singer’s alias.

In the above photo, Gunn was previously arrested during R. Kelly’s trial because of a domestic dispute with a former girlfriend by NYC Housing Police. Image was captured by journalist Dennis Byron during a break in the trial.

Based on the evidence authorities presented to a federal magistrate to get an arrest warrant, Gunn was either calling for others to meet up during the sentencing of R. Kelly for nefarious reasons or he was scamming his followers to send money for his own personal benefit. R. Kelly will be sentenced on Wednesday in New York City.

Christopher Gunn is facing up to five years if convicted of the charges.

The post Youtuber Encourages His Followers to “Storm” R. Kelly Prosecutors & Gets Arrested first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Reporting by Dennis Byron

An 18-year-old Payton Gendron, a known white supremacist walked into a Buffalo, New York Tops supermarket and opened fire on multiple people of color killing 10 and injuring multiple others before being he was taken into custody unharmed. According to The Associated Press, this white terrorist live streamed his approach to the supermarket before exiting his vehicle carrying an AR-15 assault riffle while wearing a high grade bullet proof vest and helmet dressed in army fatigue clothing.

Law enforcement has yet to release the killer’s name and one official stated that they didn’t want to release his name until he is formally arraigned this evening trying not to give him any “celebrity” for his murderous acts.

“He exited his vehicle. He was very heavily armed. He had tactical gear. He had a tactical helmet on. He had a camera that he was livestreaming what he was doing,” city Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said at a news conference afterward.

Gramaglia said the gunman initially shot four people outside the store, three fatally. Inside the store, a security guard who was a retired Buffalo police officer fired multiple shots at the gunman and struck him, but the bullet hit the gunman’s bulletproof vest and had no effect, Gramaglia added. The commissioner said the gunman then killed the security guard.

City of Buffalo Speaks out:

“This is the worst nightmare that any community can face, and we are hurting and we are seething right now,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said at the news conference. “The depth of pain that families are feeling and that all of us are feeling right now cannot even be explained.”

Rev. Al Sharpton called on the White House to convene a meeting with Black, Jewish and Asian “to underscore the Federal government (is) escalating its efforts against hate crimes.” In a tweet, Sharpton said that “leaders of all these communities should stand together on this!”

At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden was receiving regular updates on the shooting and the investigation and had offered prayers with the first lady for the victims and their loved ones.

“The president has been briefed by his Homeland Security advisor on the horrific shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., this afternoon. He will continue to receive updates throughout the evening and tomorrow as further information develops,” she said.

Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley said.

We spoke with Atlanta’s head of the NAACP President Gerald Griggs who stated the following:

“We have to directly address the root cause of this type of racially motivated violence in this Country. This was a racially motivated hate crime. Our Hearts and prayers go out to the people of Buffalo, the families of the deceased and injured. #BuffaloStrong”

On June 17th, 2015, white supremacist Dylan Storm Roof walked into a Charleston, SC Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and shot 9 blacks while they were praying. Roof was convicted in state court to a life sentence but ultimately he was prosecuted by the federal government and was sentenced to death. Hopefully the Buffalo shooter receives the same fate.

Read this domestic terrorist’s full manifesto where he espouses his white supremacy views below.

This is a developing story.

The post Breaking: White Supremacist Targets Blacks at #Tops Supermarket Killing Ten first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

UPDATE: Looks like rapper DaBaby is coming out swinging (pun intended) against claims that he or his crew wasn’t justified in allegedly putting hands on Gary Pragar because the footage that was released by his camp might paint a different picture as to the motivation behind the altercation.

From the video below it appears Pragar was spewing racial epithets toward the rapper. Also was this video shot before or after the altercation?

https://youtube.com/shorts/92mpxw6b12Q?feature=share

The bad boy of hip hop has found himself once again in trouble with law enforcement and this time there is video evidence. According to a Los Angeles property manager identified as Gary Pragar, Johnathan Lyndale Kirk infamously known as DaBaby allegedly contacted the owner of a short term rental property that was suppose to only accommodate 12 people but after the owner received numerous noice complaints, he decided to visit the property himself. Upon arriving on the property he realized that there were close to 40 people on site and that there was a video shoot taking place. After establisihing that the initial short term rental agreement was breached, he attempted to shut down the production.

From the video below you can see an elderly man being assaulted by an alleged member of the rapper’s entourage and according to the police report the alleged victim is claiming he was sucker punched in the head by someone. However from the footage posted by TMZ you don’t see the rapper near the property owner so one might ask, how are prosecutors going to prove their case against the rapper?

DaBaby has been in the news lately for a number of violent acts and the most recent one where a video surfaced where he was seen fighting one of his artists backstage at an event and then there’s the bowling ally incident where he is caught on video putting hands on his ex-girlfriend Dani Leigh’s brother.

Just days ago Rolling Stone obtained Walmart security footage of DaBaby shooting and killing 19-year-old Jaylin Craig in 2018, a shooting the rapper claims was in self-defense. The footage in question appears to depict the rapper as the aggressor however his attorney Drew Findling has stated that his client was in his legal right to defend himself.

“Witnesses were interviewed and corroborated Mr. Kirk’s statement. The entirety of the surveillance video was viewed and determined to corroborate Mr. Kirk’s statement … Mr. Kirk was protecting himself and his family at the time of the shooting.” This according to TMZ.

Youtube star Lovely Ti put a piece together on her popular channel chronicling some of DaBaby’s violent encounters with others titled The Dark Side of DaBaby: DaBaby filmed allegedly assaulting his new artist Wisdom.

The post Rapper DaBaby Charged with Felony Assault for Video Shoot Beat Down first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

According to a police report, Ryan had a dispute with four individuals and when one of them made a motion to suggest they had a firearm Ryan drew his weapon and fired several shots in their direction resulting in the death of victim Yambo and two other teens who were walking home from school. The two other victims in the shooting injuries are not life-threatening.

Ms. Yambo was killed just blocks from her home in the South Bronx and around the corner from University Heights Secondary School. She was pronounced dead shortly after emergency responders brought her to Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx.

After police interviewed Ryan with his parent, they arrested for 1 count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and criminal possession of a firearm.

“My baby was an innocent bystander. She was walking home from school. She was a good student, a good girl. She wasn’t in the streets. Our kids aren’t even safe walking from a place where they get their education,” according to the mother of Yambo, Yamely Henriquez.

NYPD is now saying that the firearm used in the shooting was a “ghost gun” and was likely manufactured by using a 3D printer which is untraceable and doesn’t contain any serial numbers.

After Ryan’s criminal arraignment in the Bronx, his high-profile attorney Deveraux Cannick who represented singer Robert Sylvester Kelly during last year’s federal trial in New York spoke to the media regarding his client’s case and the victim’s mother response to her daughter’s death: “I’m sure like every other mother in a situation like this, you don’t know what’s going on …. I’m sure she’s grieving like all the other mothers right now.” The attorney also stated that he would concede to the no bond request by the district attorney pending the results of discovery evidence.

This is a developing story.

The post Bronx Teen Charged with Murder of Another Teen Being Represented by R. Kelly’s Former Attorney first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

By: Gabrielle Taite

Many individuals have taken to the streets of downtown Minneapolis in order to protest the police killing of yet another Black man.

22-year-old, Amir Locke, was sleeping on the couch early Wednesday morning, February 2, when police conducted a “no-knock” search warrant, according to The Guardian. This allows police to enter private property without first alerting or announcing their presence to the occupants. This particular warrant was in relation to a homicide investigation led by detectives from the nearby Saint Paul Police Department. However, Locke was not named in the warrant and was not a suspect in the case being investigated. A lawyer from Locke’s family has since stated that he was in the apartment staying with his cousin. Minneapolis police have even acknowledged that it was unclear whether or not he was connected to that particular investigation.

Police body cam footage shows officers entering into the apartment, announcing their presence only after they are inside. An officer can be seen kicking the couch Locke was sleeping on, screaming at him to wake up. Wrapped in a blanket and seemingly confused, Locke can be seen moving around where a handgun becomes visible. Moments later, the officer who has now been identified as Mark Hanneman fired three fatal shots, killing Locke who was still wrapped up in his blanket.

Hundreds of protestors gathered together at Government Plaza on Saturday to express their dismay and demand racial justice, stating that Locke had a right to possess a weapon in his own home and was not even given a chance by officers to disarm himself. Citizens gathered together in below-freezing temperatures to show their support and state their demands which included: the resignation of the mayor and police chief, the arrest of officers involved and a ban on no-knock warrants. Mayor Jacob Frey eventually made the decision to put a temporary ban on no-knock search warrants, adding that he wanted to ensure the safety of both the public and officers.

Since the tragic incident, Hanneman has been placed on paid leave just as many other officers before him who have been accused of unlawful killings of citizens.

This is not the first time that Minneapolis police officers have come under fire for cases such as this. Earlier in 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by ex-officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest where authorities suspected him of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. As far as no-knock killings, Breonna Taylor was killed in March of 2020 when Louisville police officers raided her apartment, looking for two people suspected of selling drugs, neither of whom were Taylor. Officers fired more than 20 rounds into the apartment, with Taylor being shot at least eight times.

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, who signed the no-knock warrant that led to the killing of Locke, even presided over the trial of ex police officer, Derek Chauvin, according to several Minnesota outlets.

Many are left outraged as racial injustices such as these happen far too often at the hand of police who have sworn to protect and serve our communities. The family of Amir Locke is being represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has previously worked with other families of police shooting victims such as the family of George Floyd.

The post Police Shooting of a Minneapolis Man Sparks Outrage Against Many first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

With the spread of the Omicron virus that has made its way to America, NY Governor Kathy Hochul has taken measures to make it a state crime to make or produce fraudulent vaccination cards. This comes as as high-ranking NYPD cops have been caught doing just that.

This newest legislation that is intended to combat the spread of the virus was signed into law on Wednesday which included other pandemic-response related measures, makes the falsification of such documents a class A misdemeanor. The Feds have already made such related type of crimes a felony.

The new law also makes it a felony to access a computer to tamper with COVID-19 records so yes hacking into digital records or accessing them for the purpose of committing a crime is punishable by a prison sentence in New York State.

“We need to make sure we learn the lessons of the pandemic so we don’t make the same mistakes twice,” Hochul said in a statement after signing the bills. “These new laws will help us improve our response to the pandemic now, crack down on fraudulent use of vaccination records, and help us better understand the areas of improvement we need to make to our health care system so we can be even more prepared down the road.”

Vaccination Fraud Within New York City’s Police Department

Earlier this month, there were reports that EMS employees were selling fake vaccination cards to city workers after Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a mandate requiring all city employees to be vaccinated as a condition of keeping their jobs.

A police lieutenant and captain was stripped of their badges and guns and placed on desk duty after someone snitched on them for using bogus vaccination cards. Prior to that discovery, Police commissioner Shea told reporters in a statement that he knew of “zero’ evidence of cops committing these types of crimes. Those cops have been identified as Lt. Joseph Marsella and Capt. Desmond Morales. They both are currently under investigation by NYPD’s internal affairs.

This is a developing story.

The post NY Governor Is Not Playing! Makes Fake Vaccination Cards A Crime first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

After accepting responsibility for federal payroll tax evasion, Shanga Hankerson, the son of legendary superstar Gladys Knight has agreed to a 2-year plea deal for not paying the government their monies. At the time of his arrest, Hankerson had owed the government in excess of 1 million dollars in back taxes and feds decided to close down all three of his restaurants that bare his famous mother’s name.

 “Hankerson willfully disregarded his tax obligations for many years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine.  “Payroll taxes fund social insurance programs, including Social Security and Medicare, and are a large source of revenue for the federal government.  Employers who fail to comply with their legal obligations will be held accountable.”

          “While ownership of a well-known restaurant in our community has its perks, it also comes with great responsibility,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “Paying taxes is a way to give back to the community, but unfortunately Hankerson chose to use those funds for other means.  This sentencing emphasizes that all employers, big and small, have equal responsibility to collect, report, and pay over their payroll taxes.”

          According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: In 1997, Hankerson opened his first restaurant, Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles, in Atlanta.  Over the next several years, Hankerson expanded the concept to at least three other locations in northern Georgia and Washington, D.C.  Hankerson was the sole owner of the businesses that operated the restaurants.

          As an employer, Hankerson’s companies were required to withhold from employees’ gross pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, which represent Social Security and Medicare taxes, and federal income taxes.  Collectively, these withheld taxes are referred to as “payroll taxes.”  Specifically, employers are required to file, one month after the conclusion of the calendar quarter, an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, setting forth the amount of payroll taxes due. 

          An individual is responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over the payroll taxes if he or she has the authority required to exercise significant control over the employer’s financial affairs.  As the sole owner, Hankerson was the responsible person, and he had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over payroll taxes due.  From at least 2012 to 2016, Hankerson failed to fully remit over $1 million in payroll taxes due.  

          Shanga Hankerson, 45, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown to serve two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $1,039,310.65.  Hankerson was convicted on July 21, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.

Many had thought the singer herself owned the restaurant but it was later revealed during a lawsuit where she sued her son to remove her name off of all business records as she was only the pitch person for his brand. Former employees later told federal investigators that Hankerson used the money to pay for wild sex parties and illicit drugs.

The post Gladys Knight Son Has To Take Midnight Train to Federal Jail first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction and opened the way for his immediate release from prison Wednesday in a stunning reversal of fortune for the comedian once known as “America’s Dad,” ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby.

Cosby, 83, has served more than two years of a three-to 10-year sentence after being found guilty of drugging and violating Temple University sports administrator Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era.

Cosby was arrested in 2015, when a district attorney armed with newly unsealed evidence — the comic’s damaging deposition testimony in a lawsuit brought by Constand — brought charges against him days before the 12-year statute of limitations ran out.

But the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said that District Attorney Kevin Steele, who made the decision to arrest Cosby, was obligated to stand by his predecessor’s promise not to charge Cosby. There was no evidence that promise was ever put in writing.

Justice David Wecht, writing for a split court, said Cosby had relied on the former prosecutor’s decision not to charge him when the comedian later gave his potentially incriminating testimony in the Constand’s civil case.

The court said that overturning the conviction, and barring any further prosecution, “is the only remedy that comports with society’s reasonable expectations of its elected prosecutors and our criminal justice system.”

Cosby has always maintained his innocence and said that he would not participate in any sexual predator courses even if he had to spend his entire 3-10 year sentence behind bars. The court also pointed out that prosecutors should have never allowed others to have testified against the comedian when there was no way of vetting them for truthfulness.

Cosby should be walking out of a Pennsylvania within the next 2 hours according to our sources.

Bill Cosby was viewed as “America’s Dad” prior to his unjust conviction and he is estimated to have a net worth of 400 million dollars and was also rumored to have offered to buy a major television network prior to his conviction.

This is a developing story.

Source: AP/TMZ

The post Free at Last: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ordered Bill Cosby Released Due to Wrongful Conviction first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

A nearby restaurant guest shot footage of the moments leading up to what can be viewed as one of the most brazen robbery attempts in the posh community of Buckhead Atlanta’s Lenox Mall. We must warn you the footage is not safe for children to view so click with caution. According to eyewitnesses, two individuals believed to be only 15-years-old where seen holding a mall security guard at gunpoint trying to get him to open the Apple store after store hours. In the video, it appears the guard was pleading with the suspects and without warning the smaller individual fired around three shots into the guard who is in critical condition at Grady Hospital.

Witnesses told police the suspects ran towards the nearby Westin hotel and within minutes a 15-year-old boy and girl were apprehended in possession of what is believed to be the firearm used in the shooting. Because of their ages, we were not able to provide names of the suspects. They were placed in a youth detention center and will be facing armed robbery, tampering with evidence and gun possession.

There have been a string of crimes that have occurred at the popular Lenox Mall in recent years with a shooting of a Macy’s employee in the parking lot as well as a shooting of a customer who had to be driven to the hospital by his fiancée while shopping for their wedding. Mayoral hopeful Kasim Reed stated at a recent fundraiser to announce his bid for the next mayor is that he was saddened that women had to drive their cars on almost empty because they were afraid to stop at night to get gas due to the crime that has plagued the City of Atlanta. He promised to crack down on crime if he was re-elected.

The post Shocking Video! Alleged 15-Year-Old Teen Caught On Camera Shooting Lenox Mall Security Guard Trying to Rob Apple Store (Atlanta) first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

After a Minneapolis jury found former cop Derek Chauvin gusty of second degree murder and other related charges, the Department of Justice was already considering charging the former cop and three other officers with violating George Floyd’s civil rights and today they are one step closer to making that decision. Sources close to the investigation have revealed that charging the cops with federal civil rights violations is a done deal in that the papers are being drawn up to formally charge all those that were involved in the death of Mr. Floyd.

We caught up with American activist Tamika Mallory at the memorial for the late rapper DMX and she was asked what did she think of the verdict of Derek Chauvin and what this means to the movement for justice for people of color.

Federal prosecutors are moving forward with plans to charge Derek Chauvin and three other former Minneapolis police officers with federal civil rights violations, according to two local media reports in Minnesota. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, citing a source, and KSTP-TV, citing sources with knowledge of the investigation, say the Justice Department intends to ask a grand jury to indict Chauvin in connection with the death of George Floyd, along with three other former officers on scene — Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao.

Derek Chauvin will be sentenced on June 25th on his state conviction.

The post Convicted Former Cop Derek Chauvin to Be Charged with A Federal Civil Rights Crime, Activist Tamika Mallory Speaks Out first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Unfortunately, spending five days in the hospital fighting for her life after being shot by a stray bullet, the Fulton County Medical Examiner has confirmed Kennedy has died. Riding in her aunt’s Nissan with her family near Phipps Plaza, the 7-year old was shot in the back of the head. The department believes an argument between men at the nearby Sak’s 5th Avenue ended violently.

Furthermore, the community and the Maxie family rallied all week sharing prayers, condolences, and raising money for her care. The GoFundMe raised over $45,000, before she passed the day after Christmas. Many community members are speaking out over this tragic death and the rise of violence in the Atlanta area.

Although, Police report the family’s car most likely was not the intended target. Additionally, there have been no arrests, according to the Atlanta Police department. They are offering a $15,000 reward for anyone with information on who shot Kennedy.

For this purpose, Mayor Keisha Lance-Bottoms has released a statement on the shooting. She encourages the public to continue providing information that will “lead to the arrests of the careless and heartless people responsible for Kennedy’s death,” while calling it a “senseless murder.”

“While the Atlanta Police Department has significant leads in the apprehension of those responsible, it does not erase the pain felt when a beautiful, vibrant, and loving child is tragically taken from her family,” the Mayor relays.

If you know anything about the shooting, call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.

The post Police Are on the Hunt to Find The Killer of 7-Year-Old Murdered Outside Popular Atlanta Mall first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

An innocent drive by the mall turns deadly after a child was shot from an unrelated shoot out. An aunt, mother, and 7 year old girl were driving past Phipps Plaza on Monday night when the young child was unfortunately struck by a stray bullet. There was a dispute between unassociated individuals, which ended in shots being fired.

The aunt and mother rushed the child to the Scottish Rite hospital and reported the incident to police. Furthermore, the suspects are not yet known or in custody. As the community presses for answers, the homicide commander relieves some questions about this shocking case. The Atlanta police are still early in their investigation, so there will be more updates soon.

In addition, Chief Bryant mentions the rise of crime in Atlanta since the pandemic. He speaks on the high rate of gun violence and how they are attempting to utilize their resources. Watch the Chief’s Full Statement below for more details:

The post Breaking: Prestigious Atlanta Community Erupts in violence with 7-Year Old Being Shot in The Head (Video) first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

This Southern California man died last Tuesday after he was in police custody. Arrested for alleged assault with a deadly weapon following an incident that required police assistance at a grocery store in Jurupa Valley. The confrontation ultimately did not end well for Ernie Serrano. It left him battered, bloodied, and unfortunately dead.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department released body camera footage, as well as witness and surveillance video from that day, and it shows Serrano at a Stater Bros. attempting to check out at the register. Eventually, security intervenes due to his denial to exit the premises. Ernie Serrano is then sprayed with pepper spray, tazed, and beaten by baton.

Police released a preliminary autopsy report they say lists his cause of death as acute methamphetamine intoxication. The Sheriff’s Deptartment says this caused a fatal arrhythmia as he struggled with the deputies. According to police, Serrano resisted arrest and the department and the District Attorney’s Office were currently investigating.

Press play to watch Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Statement:

Footage shows Serrano bleeding from his face as deputies attempt to handcuff him while pinning his torso against a countertop. He screams for them to let him go as cops try to calm him down. Many speculate Serrano screamed, “Excessive force” at a point.

Humberto Guizar, the family’s attorney, says the deputies held him down in a compromised position for too long, which he believes is the reason behind Serrano’s death. He’s calling for an independent autopsy to be done and signals he and the family are preparing for a lawsuit.

The post Horrific! California Man Beaten to Death By Sheriffs… George Floyd 2.0 first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

A diabolical plot was foiled recently by by police when a Gainsville, Georgia 17-year old white teenager planned to kill members of a predominately black church.

Caitlyn Pye, now 17, was arrested last fall after authorities foiled her plan to stab worshippers at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The girl was identified as Caitlyn “Karen” Pye, who was 16 at the time of her arrest had hatched a plan to kill members of a AME church but was caught by school resource officers after her classmates revealed that she kept a notebook of plans on how she planned to execute her murderous plot. Police revealed that Pye was a follower of Dyann Roof, the racist who was convicted of killing 9 black members of an AME church in South Carolina. He was later sentenced to life in prison for his heinous crimes.

Gainesville High School administrators learned of the plot last November after Pye’s classmates told them she had a notebook containing “detailed plans to commit murder” at the church, authorities said. Drawings found in the notebook indicated the plot had been in the works for several weeks, according to police.

School officials searched Pye’s bookbag and found a purple-and-white notebook and two T-shirts, according to assistant district attorney Julia Greene. One T-shirt had “natural selection” written on the front, the other had “Free Dylann Storm Roof” and swastikas drawn on each arm, Greene said. 

Roof shot and killed nine people at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. 

“On the back of the shirt were several writings including, ‘I’m not crazy I had to do this,’” Greene said. “’I had to do it because somebody had to do something, because Black people are killing White people every day on the streets. What I did is still miniscule compared to what they’re doing to White people every day. I do consider myself a White supremacist.’”  

The administrators notified school resource officers, who launched an investigation and arrested the teen. She had an extensive knife collections where she planned to use it on members of the church when she was arrested by police.

In a negotiated plea deal that didn’t receive the blessing of church leaders, Pye was sentenced as a juvenile and is only required to remain in a facility until the age of 21 and will be on probation for 10-years after she is released.

The disparity in how she was sentenced compared to many others, especially people of color shows how far we still need to go to receive equity in the criminal justice system when it relates to people of color.

Someone might want to investigate the judge who sentenced Pye to this sweetheart of a deal. Just saying.

Source: Associated Press/Gainsville Times

The post Crazed White Girl Plotted to Kill Black Worshippers in Church ” I Do Consider Myself A White Supremacist” first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Los Angeles prosecutors are moving forward with charges against Canadian rapper Tory Lanez who’s real name is Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson for the alleged assault on rap star Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion.

Not too long after Lanez dropped a song proclaiming his innocence did prosecutors decided that there was enough evidence to charge him. He is facing 22 years & 8 months in prison if convicted of Aggravated Assault and related weapons possession charges.

When the incident first happened, there were speculations that there might have been another assailant or that Megan had made up the story about being shot because she failed to reveal that she was shot to the cops who had stopped the vehicle she was in. In the initial police report, it stated her injuries were a result of broken glass.

She later revealed that the reason why she didn’t mention what had happened to her:

“The police come, I’m scared. Police was literally killing black people for no reason. The police is really aggressive. You think I’m about to tell the police that us black people got a gun in the car?”

For his part, Lanez thought it was a good idea to get online and deny the allegations instead of being more sympathetic to what had occurred to her. Was this an accident or did he really intend to inflict bodily harm to the rapper?

The rappers are both major stars in the US. Megan is currently No 1 in the US and UK singles charts with her collaboration with Cardi B, WAP. It is her second US chart-topper of the year after the remix to her track Savage, featuring Beyoncé.

Lanez has released five full-length projects, all of which reached the US top five, most recently in April with The New Toronto 3, which was also a top-five hit in the UK.

Even if Megan decides not to pursue charges against Lanez, the State of California can still prosecute the case. There is also a possibility of a civil suit being filed by Megan.

This is a developing story.

The post Rapper Tory Lanez Charged with Aggravated Assault for Allegedly Shooting Megan Thee Stallion (Warning: Graphic Images) first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

According to a South Fulton police report, an officer was “flagged down by a citizen” on Aug. 31 “in reference to an owner versus tenant dispute.” Four days later, the police department took the Senate candidate into custody.

Pritchett is running in a special Democratic primary on Nov. 3 to replace Sen. Nikema Williams, an Atlanta Democrat running for Congress. Senate District 39 covers parts of Fulton County.

Pritchett said she was “maliciously prosecuted and charged excessively.” She says the house was wrongfully foreclosed, pointing to a 2018 lawsuit where she claims Main Street Renewal and several other companies took back the home prematurely without giving her room to dispute the action.

The company alleged Pritchett breached a contract by failing to pay more than $33,000 she owed in back rent by an agreed-upon date in February of this year. A judge signed an order giving Main Street Renewal the right to evict Pritchett on May 13. She was appealing when Fulton County sheriff’s deputies put her out on Aug. 27

Main Street Renewal said when a representative went to clean the home, “(Pritchett) had broken back into the property and moved (her) possessions back inside.”

The candidate decided to move back in even though a magistrate judge issued a vacate order. Pritchett is running to fill District 39th senate seat formally held by State Senator Nikema Williams, who is running in congressional 5th district once held by the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis.

Candidate Pritchett released a statement following her arrest:

You can let your viewers know that regardless of what’s being reported the truth is we are locked out during Covid and prevented from getting all our belongings and our pet is in there and we don’t know his condition.

The CDC has put a moratorium on evictions until the end of the year for people who are suffering financial hardships due to the Covid19 pandemic.

Our guess is if she can in fact show she has suffered hardship due to the pandemic that would be an affirmative defense to the charge of Burglary.

Source: AP

The post Georgia Senate Candidate Charged with Burglary of Her Home After Eviction first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

They say timing is everything and it appears the attorney who is representing former Atlanta cop Garrett Rolfe might be trying to tilt the scales of justice in his client’s favor.

FOLLOWING THE MONEY

On June 30th, attorney Noah Pines who also was a former Dekalb County prosecutor donated $1000.00 to Fulton County DA candidate Fani Willis just two weeks after his client was charged with killing Rayshard Brooks in the parking lot of a Wendy’s restaurant in Atlanta. The discovery of the generous donation came to light when our investigative team researched the donations received by Ms. Willis after it was learned that she failed to disclose that she had received donations from Atlanta police officers in excess of $12,000.00. District attorney candidate Fani Willis & Attorney Noah Pines.

Pines accused Howard of violating ethics rules that bar him from making “extrajudicial comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused.” Pines also accused Howard of acting rashly by announcing charges before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation completed its investigation. Being that attorney Pine was a former district attorney himself, he is fully aware that the DA’s office doesn’t have to wait for the conclusion of a GBI investigation since the office is independent of other agencies such as the GBI. What ethics were at play when Mr. Pines made a sizable donation to Fani Willis’s campaign? While it is not uncommon for lawyers to support other lawyers campaigns, the timing of Mr. Pines supporting Ms. Willis raises eyebrows. Amended disclosure report filed by district attorney candidate Fani Willis shows contribution made by attorney Noah Pine who represents Garrett Rolfe who is charged with killing Rayshard Brooks

Mr. Howard and Ms. Willis are in a run-off election on August 11, but for whatever reason, Rolfe’s attorney wasn’t a supporter of Willis until after his client was charged with felony murder. Is attorney Pine banking on Mr. Howard losing the race? Does he believe his client will have a better chance with Ms. Willis if she miraculously wins the election? 

PAUL HOWARD RECEIVES A UNLIKELY ENDORSEMENT

Christian Wise Smith with District Attorney Paul Howard  | Credit: Dennis Byron

Former challenger Christian Wise Smith, who was running for the same seat has also announced that he intends to support Mr. Howard’s bid for re-election and he cites the reason that he could not support Ms. Willis in a scathing rebuke of her during a recent interview with rapper/actor and podcast host Clifford ‘Tip” Harris on the show expediTiously.

Mr. Howard’s opponent Fani Willis has aggressively engaged in smear tactics during her campaign towards her former boss accusing him of only charging Garrett Rolfe in the death of Rayshard Brooks for political reasons. The fact is that Howard has prosecuted more bad cops in Georgia than any other district attorney around the nation in his 20 plus years in office.

We asked Mr. Howard in a exclusive interview whether or not has he ever remembered a police union supporting the prosecution of police since he’s has been a DA and he stated that he has never and that he has not ever received the endorsement of a police union since he’s been in office.

DA Paul Howard at press conference announcing charges against Garrett Rolfe being filed | Credit: Dennis Byron

Howard has charged Garrett Rolfe with felony murder, Aggravated Assault, violation of Oath of Office and other related charges. Mr. Howard has also charged former APD cop Devin Brosnan with Aggravated Assault and violation of oath of office. A Fulton county judge granted Rolfe a $500,00.00 secured bond and Devin Brosnan was granted a $50,00.00 signature bond, both have since been released from jail.

This is a developing story.

The post Lawyer Who is Representing Former Cop Garrett Rolfe Accused of Killing Rayshard Brooks Donates Money to DA Candidate in Atlanta first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Things between the valet and Fetty got very heated and Fetty eventually punched the man at least three times, according to hotel staffers. One of the workers made a citizen’s arrest, as he held Fetty until the Las Vegas Metro PD arrived to take him into custody, according to TMZ.

After he was taken in, he was booked for three counts of misdemeanor battery, seemingly a charge for each punch he allegedly threw. However, Fetty was only in jail for several hours before he was released. His court date with the judge will likely be sometime soon.

Fetty is no stranger to run-ins with the law. Back in June, he allegedly assaulted a woman on the set of his music video, and was later put under investigation for felony battery, according to TMZ. He has not yet been charged for the alleged assault.

Fetty Wap and his team have yet to comment on the Vegas altercation.

The post Fetty Wap Arrested for Altercation on Las Vegas Strip first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Meek and his team had previously tried to avoid a retrial after the original conviction was thrown out, however he appeared in court on Tuesday to plea guilty to misdemeanor possession of a firearm without a license, according to TMZ. The remaining six charges for which he was originally convicted were all dropped. Additionally, Meek had been found guilty of seven charges back in 2008, four of which were related to the gun.

During the hearing, he stated “I’m extremely grateful that my long legal battle is finally behind me and I appreciate that it has sparked a much-needed discussion about probation reform and the inequalities that exist within our two Americas,” he said. “I have always told the truth — that as a teenager, who saw many around me die from senseless gun violence, I carried a gun for protection.”

He continued, “I take responsibility for that and – in conjunction with my work on the REFORM Alliance – I’ll continue to use my platform to make communities safer and reform our criminal justice system.”

As for a trial, Meek could have had one if he wanted to, however it appears that he was looking to put this legal drama behind him. It is also likely that he would have won the case, since the key witness turned out to be a dirty cop and the trial would have taken place more than a decade after the alleged crime.

The rapper even spoke to the public after he left court, thanking his supporters and others who came out on Tuesday. He said that he was not on probation anymore, as confirmed by the D.A. in Philadelphia.

Whatever Meek’s logic, he now has some of his legal drama behind him.

The post Meek Mill Pleads Guilty In Old Gun Case first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Last week, a Virginia District Court judge issued a Protective Order against video blogger Latasha Transrina Kebe aka Latasha Transrina Howard aka TashaK who operates a Youtube Channel UnwinewithTashaK. According to reporting, veteran journalist Dennis Byron was working on an in-depth investigative story involving cyber-bullying and Latasha Kebe (also known as TashaK) was the subject of his reporting.

During the course of his investigation, Byron interviewed several of her former neighbors. One particular neighbor told Mr. Byron that she was a friend of Tasha K and wouldn’t be interested in participating in the story. Other neighbors fully cooperated. Once Ms. Kebe learned that there was a Investigative reporter asking questions about her, she concocted  a story suggesting Byron’s sole purpose of being there was to stalk her daughter.

On March 29th, Kebe broadcasted live on her Instagram a false and reckless story telling her 54,000 followers that Mr. Byron came to her old neighborhood a total of three (3) times asking about her child.

According to Mr. Byron, his sole purpose for visiting her old neighborhood was because he was working on a story regarding cyber-bullying and Ms. Kebe was the subject of his investigative reporting.

Mr. Byron believes the only reason why Ms. Kebe made up this elaborate story was to garner sympathy from her followers and to interfere with his investigation into her online cyberbullying behavior.

In another posting by Tasha K, she threatens to shoot Mr. Byron “one to the head and one to the heart” if he comes to her home. Mr. Byron viewed this as a direct threat on his life and took appropriate action.

On the same day, Mr. Byron received a call from an individual claiming to be the father of Latasha Kebe. The caller stated that he, along with his people, would be paying Mr. Byron a visit in Atlanta. When Mr. Byron asked “why would you be paying me a visit,” the caller angrily responded that “You’ll find out once I get there.”

Mr. Byron took that as a direct threat.

Mr. Byron has audio recordings supporting that he was only in her old neighborhood for approximately 15 minutes and never asked a single question about her child (or any other children).

During those false and malicious claims, Kebe directed her instagram followers to go to Mr. Byron’s instagram page and download images of him to make defamatory posts about him.

From Mr. Byron’s investigation, Kebe has a history of bullying people on her various social media platforms for one reason or another.

In one particular incident, Kebe called a Pennsylvania hospital pretending to be the cousin of a woman who had just given birth. Kebe claimed the new mother was the mistress of celebrity talk show host Wendy Williams’ husband, Kevin Hunter. Kebe broadcasted the legal name of the woman and the hospital location of the newborn in a video viewed more than half a million times.  Kebe claimed she was outing Kevin Hunter for allegedly having an affair with the new mother and fathering a child.

Byron believes that recording alone proves Kebe will go to great lengths to concoct a story just for views, likes and monetary gain. Kebe has also been accused of unlawfully using images belonging to photographers without their consent triggering copyright claims on Youtube, facebook and instagram while monetizing the illegally obtained photos and videos.

In another incident Kebe accused Atlanta’s Celebrity Stylist Kash Howard of being a part of a “pedophilia sex ring” involving singer R. Kelly. Kebe labeled Ms. Howard a “transitional madam” causing pain and suffering to her. We interviewed Howard on numerous occasions and she vehemently denies knowing of any illegal activities committed by the singer and pointed out that she has styled many celebrities over the course of 10 years and operates a successful clothing boutique in the Atlanta area.

According to our investigation, Kebe operates several Instagram pages with the handles “winogang” “winogang2” “winogang3” for the sole purpose of having her members stalk, harass, and intimidate the people she is blogging about on her infamous YouTube channel “UnwinewithTashaK.” Because her channel is being monetized, and she is imploring others to engage in possible criminal activity, there is a need to carefully examine Kebe’s business practices.

Under Georgia law, O.C.G.A 16-5-3 (1), criminal gang activity means the commission, attempted commission, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation, coercion, or intimidation of another person to commit any of the following offenses: racketeering, stalking, rape, aggravated sexual battery, aiding or encouraging a child to escape from custody, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property and any other criminal offense that involves the violence, possession/use of a weapon.

What is Criminal Gang Activity Under Georgia Law?

Under Georgia law, O.C.G.A 16-5-3 (1), criminal gang activity means the commission, attempted commission, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation, coercion, or intimidation of another person to commit any of the following offenses: racketeering, stalking, rape, aggravated sexual battery, aiding or encouraging a child to escape from custody, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property and any other criminal offense that involves the violence, possession/use of a weapon.

What Are Georgia’s Laws on Criminal Gang Activity?

Georgia’s criminal gang activity laws are set out under O.C.G.A. 16-15-4 and makes it unlawful for:

• A person employed or associated with a criminal street gang to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity through the commission of a crime;
• Any person to commit an offense with the intent to obtain or earn membership or maintain or increase his or her status or position in a criminal street gang;
• Any person to acquire or maintain, directly or indirectly, through criminal gang activity or proceeds derived from any interest in or control of any real or personal property of any nature, including money;
• Any person who occupies a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management or leadership with regard to a criminal street gang to engage in, directly or indirectly, or conspire to engage in criminal gang activity;
• Any person to cause, encourage, solicit, recruit, or coerce another to become a member or associate of a criminal street gang, to participate in a criminal street gang, or to conduct or participate in a criminal gang activity;
• Any person to communicate, directly or indirectly, with another any threat of injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to deter such person from assisting a member or associate of a criminal street gang to withdraw from such criminal street gang;
• Any person to communicate, directly, with another any threat or injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to punish or retaliate against such person for refusing to or encouraging another to refuse to become or obtain the status of a member or associate of a criminal street gang;
• Any person to communicate, directly, with another any threat or injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to punish or retaliate against such person for providing statements or testimony against criminal street gangs or any criminal street gang; and,
• Any person to communicate, directly, with another any threat or injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to intimidate, deter, or prevent such person from communicating to any law enforcement or corrections officer, prosecuting attorney, or judge information relating to criminal street gangs, criminal street gang members or associates, or criminal gang activity.

For Mr. Byron’s part, he wants Latasha Kebe aka #TashaK to desist from her reckless behavior as she has caused unnecessary stress to him and his family and he wants her held accountable for her actions. When asked what did he want to see happen to all those who have attacked him on social media, Byron stated “No one, especially a professional reporter doing his job, should be attacked or intimidated by any individual because they are uncomfortable with being the subject of a story.” Mr. Byron points out that he doesn’t know Kebe personally nor holds any malice for her. As a member of the press, he has a right and responsibility to thoroughly investigate stories so that the real facts are known and not contribute to fake news reporting.

We also asked Mr. Byron what role he feels platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter should play in combating cyber-bullying by their members, and he stated “ I recognizes that there is a fundamental right of the 1st Amendment (as it relates to freedom of speech) but those freedoms don’t guarantee an individual the right to bully or harass others for their self-gratification. People have committed suicide, and done other horrible things, because they have been bullied by people over the internet.

These companies have a responsibility to remove and ban individuals who don’t comply with the standards that provide a safe environment for all to enjoy. If companies are only concerned with impacting their bottom-line at the expense of others then the courts should be the place to hold these companies and individuals responsible.”

Instagram has deleted two of TashaK’s pages “TheWineBloggerLady” and “UnwinewithTashaK” (for possible harassment, cyber-bullying, and copyright claims).

On April 4th, Kebe was served with a criminal Protective Order by Gwinnett County Sheriffs and ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with Mr. Byron or his family members. In addition, she was ordered to surrender any firearms she may have in her possession.

Kebe is also being sued by rap superstar Cardi B. for the defamatory statements she made about her on her infamous youtube channel and we have also been told that there are several other lawsuits being filed against her business and her personally.

We have reached out to Youtube, Instagram and Facebook for an official statement. This is a developing story.

The post Breaking: Video Blogger Tasha K Threatens to Kill Investigative Reporter, Judge Issues Protective Order: “Surrender Firearms!” first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

In a trial that lasted 28 days, has finally come to a conclusion and while there were no winners in the outcome of the State of Georgia v. Gary Bradford, Deandre Washington and Maurice Conner, the jury has finally reached a verdict. Deliberations lasted around 10 hours and when the verdict was returned, their decision was almost as . The courtroom was packed with family members from both Gary Bradford’s and Lil Phat’s family.

Security was extremely tight as the courtroom was packed with law enforcement from both Fulton County Sheriff office, Atlanta Police Department and the Sandy Springs lead Detective JT Williams.

Certain witness testimony obviously had an impact on the jury’s decision since Eldorado Red was not found guilty of murder. Even though former college basketball star Decensae White testified that the rapper ordered the killing of Lil Phat, the jurors didn’t buy it. Prosecutors played Eldorado Red’s 100 shooters video and brought in a gang expert who testified that there were many elements in the video that are indicative of gang affiliation might have swayed the jury’s decision to convict him of Participation in Criminal Street Gang Activity.

The post Exclusive Coverage: Eldorado Red Sentenced To 25 Years in Prison for Conspiracy and Gang Activities, Co-Defendant Gets Life for Murder! first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Reporting by: Dennis Byron

The defense team for Gary Bradford aka Eldorado Red, Deandre Washington and Maurice Conner will be presenting their case to the jury in hopes of convincing them to believe that evidence that was presented to them by the prosecution for over a week is not only false but may prove that Decensae White (the former basketball star) and not Gary Bradford was the one who ordered the hit on Melvin Vernell, III aka Lil Phat. According to White’s testimony, he was the one who had taken a loss when his drugs were stolen allegedly by rapper Lil Phat.

Not only had White taken a financial loss because of the theft of his drugs, he appeared to have had more of a motivation to get revenge against Lil Phat since it would have sent a bad message to those who might see White’s drug business as a target for future robberies according his testimony.

What makes matters even worse for the basketball star is the fact that he repeatedly tracked Lil Phat to various locations throughout the day leading up to his death.

Meanwhile, the prosecution is attempting to show the jury that their evidence in the case points to Eldorado Red because of his allege ties to a street gang known as BGM, a sect of the bloods organization.

The defense team is being led by famed criminal defense attorney David Wolfe. Mr. Wolfe’s name rings bells in courtrooms throughout Georgia not just because he is the founding member of The Innocence Project but because he has successfully assisted in the acquittal of Baltimore Ravens star Ray Lewis and Reginald Oakley and Clarence Harrison, a Decatur, Georgia man who was convicted of a rape but it was later determined  by DNA evidence that the man was innocent. Check out exclusive video coverage of the trial below and visit our video channel to see additional footage as well.

The post [Exclusive Coverage] More Testimony Today Suggests Former Basketball Star Decensae White Masterminded The Hit on Lil Phat Via Court Ordered Wiretaps first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Reporting by: Dennis Byron

Moments ago, the judge presiding over the upcoming trial of Mani Chulpayev has just denied him a bond for the alleged accessory to murder of aspiring Trill Entertainment rapper Melvin Vernell III professionally known in the hip hop world as Lil Phat. According to court documents, Mani Chulpayev is accused of facilitating a GPS code to Lil Phat’s killers that aided them in locating him while he was visiting his newborn son at an Atlanta hospital.

According to Fulton County prosecutors, Chulpayev wanted the rapper dead because he believed that Lil Phat was going to testify against him for selling him a car that was stolen. During a recent hearing, Chulpayev’s defense attorney Tanya Miller told the judge that her client didn’t know that when he gave the GPS tracking codes to his “business partner” Decensae White also known as “Grizz”, they were looking to kill Lil Phat.

We have also learned that White has admitted to prosecutors that he was the one who ordered Lil Phat to be murdered because of a drug deal gone bad. In a shocking turn of events, Decensae White is expected to cooperate with prosecutors and testify that he ordered the murder with the understanding that he would only receive a maximum of eight (8) years in prison. Prosecutors have also charged rapper Eldorado Red for participating in the killing. In a previous hearing, Eldorado red was denied a bond.

We have to ask the question, if you were guarenteed a 8-year sentence for ordering the death of someone else, how far would you go to stretch the truth?

Follow us as this story develops.

Follow us on twitter@hiphopenquirer

The post Breaking News: Former Russian Mafia Boss Mani Chulpayev Denied Bond in the Killing of Rapper Lil Phat first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Atlanta (Fulton County) – Reported by: Dennis Byron

The former Russian mobster, Mani Chulpayev was back in court on Tuesday before Judge Craig Schwall to address the defendant’s motion for reconsideration of bond for the alleged accessory to murder of rapper Melvin Vernell III professionally known as Lil Phat.  Defense Attorney, Tanya Miller delivered a compelling set of facts as to the change in circumstance surrounding the case since the last bond hearing of why the court should entertain this hearing.  During defense attorney Miller’s argument, she outlined improprieties in the “statement of facts” given in the previous bond hearings. 

However, Fulton County Prosecutor Sheila Ross expressed to the court why she believed the former FBI informant Chulpalev should remain in jail. Ross pointed out that Chulpalev may not have been the triggerman but he help facilitate the murder by giving the GPS code to to his alleged accomplices that were named in the indictment. She stated that his motivation for doing so was because he didn’t want Vernell to cooperate with the investigation of his illegal car scams.

It was WSBTV’s Consumer Investigative Reporter Jim Strickland who first reported on Chulpayev’s car scams in his special report that aired back in 2011.

To bolster her argument, Ross pointed out to presiding Judge Craig Scwalll that there are currently several warrants out for Chulpayev arrest in Dekalb County, Georgia stemming from his alleged involvement in auto fraud crimes.

Judge Schwall instructed both parties to submit proposed orders as to the Ayala (262 GA 704) bond factors.  Statutory bond factors [OCGA 17-6-1€] is that the defendant:

1.       Poses no significant risk of fleeing from the jurisdiction of the court or failing to appear in court when required;

2.       Poses no significant threat or danger to any person, to the community, or to any property in the community;

3.       Poses no significant risk of committing any felony pending trial; and

4.       Poses no significant risk of intimidating witnesses or otherwise obstruction the administration of justice. 

We will continue to follow this story as developments unfold.

Follow us on Twitter @hiphopenquirer

The post Exclusive Coverage: Judge Considers Granting Accessory to Murder Suspect A Bond in the Killing of Rapper Lil Phat first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.

Reported by: Investigative Reporter Dennis Byron

Back in February of this year, Vinson Hardimon aka Yung Vito stood trial for the death of rapper Slim Dunkin in a Fulton County, Georgia courtroom. After a mountain of evidence was shown to the jury by both Vinson Hardimon’s defense attorney Max Hirsh and State prosecutor Linda Dunikoski, 12 men and woman returned a not guilty verdict on the most serious count of murder and manslaughter thus only finding the rapper guilty of the lessor offense of Aggravated Assault and weapon possession.

During the sentencing phase, Fulton County Superior court Judge Craig Schwall decided to sentence rapper Yung Vito to 25 years in prison for the lessor included offense however after the rapper’s legal defense filed their appeal with a higher court, the judge decided to review his previous sentence more carefully and he is now entertaining a reduction in his earlier sentence.

Sources close to the case have stated to us that the judge is considering various factors in his reconsideration which includes a likely reversal by the appellate court based on his instructions to the jury as well as whether Vinson Hardimon was truly in fear of his life by deceased rapper Slim Dunkin. Within seconds before the judge was going to issue a favorable ruling for rapper Yung Vito, State prosecutor Linda Dunikoski made a dramatic entrance into the courtroom objecting to such a reduction.

Hardimon’s appellate attorney Ashleigh Merchant and Manny Arora have also told the judge that their client have been receiving death threats and that there is a contract to have him murdered once he enters a state prison.

Story is developing.

Follow us on twitter@hiphopenquirer

The post Breaking News: Rapper Yung Vito Receives Death Threats While Judge Reconsiders 25 Year Sentence first appeared on Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, LLC.