Rick Ross arrested on charges of domestic violence against girlfriend
What's the story
Rapper William Leonard Roberts II, popularly known as Rick Ross, has been arrested on charges of domestic violence against now-ex-girlfriend Jazzma Kendrick. The 50-year-old turned himself in to the Miami Beach Police after an alleged attack on his girlfriend over an Instagram photo, as per Page Six. Ross now faces a third-degree felony charge of battery by strangulation and a first-degree misdemeanor charge of battery by intentionally touching or striking another person against their will.
Booking details
Ross's arraignment is scheduled for October 22
The rapper was booked at 6:10am on Thursday (local time) at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
He is currently being held on $5,000 and $1,000 bonds for battery by strangulation and a first-degree misdemeanor, respectively.
His arraignment is scheduled for October 22, according to Miami-Dade County court records.
Incident details
Alleged assault occurred at Ross's Star Island home
The alleged assault occurred on August 28 at Ross's Star Island home, where he and Kendrick had been living together for about a year.
Kendrick told police that she was awakened by an "enraged" Ross after he saw a photo of her on Instagram that she was tagged in.
She claimed he slapped her in the face and accused her of being involved with someone else.
Assault allegations
Kendrick was choked, slammed against the wall
Kendrick alleged that Ross choked her until she couldn't breathe by twisting the collar of her hoodie.
He then allegedly grabbed her by the ponytail and slammed her against the wall before striking her in the face, causing a busted lip.
She also claimed he pushed her to the floor and attempted to spray her with a shower head.
Additional allegations
'If a man hits you one time...'
Kendrick later took to her Instagram Story to publicly accuse him of abuse.
The 39-year-old model uploaded photos of her bloody mouth and wrote, "The day Rick busted my lip and the day I left."
She added, "If a man hits you one time, he will do it again. Don't give him the opportunity. Value your life and leave."
Legal stance
Ross's defense attorneys have denied the allegations
Following his arrest, Ross's defense attorneys Steve Sadow and Bradley Horenstein said their client "is being wrongfully accused by an ex-girlfriend whose true motivations are unclear."
They noted that she "did not even file a police report until a month after the claimed incident allegedly took place."
Sadow and Horenstein insisted that Ross "is innocent and has pled [sic] not guilty to the charges" before asking the public to "not prejudge the situation."