Rick Ross charged with battery by strangulation; attorney says he’s innocent
Rapper Rick Ross was arrested on domestic violence charges Thursday after his girlfriend accused him of attacking her.
Ross, 50, turned himself in to the Miami Beach Police Department at 5 a.m., per the arrest affidavit obtained by Page Six.
He is charged with battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony, and battery, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was booked at 6:10 a.m. and is being held on $5,000 and $1,000 bonds. His arraignment is set for October 22.
The arrest came one day after the alleged victim, identified only as “JK,” filed a police report. She said she and Ross had been dating and living together at his Star Island home for about a year. She told police the attack happened there on the morning of August 28.
The affidavit states JK said Ross woke her up angry after seeing an Instagram photo she was tagged in. She said he accused her of lying, slapped her and hit her whenever she denied his claims. She also said he choked her by twisting her hoodie collar, slammed her against a wall by her ponytail and hit her in the face, giving her a busted lip.
She said she escaped, left the house and later collected her belongings. She gave police time-stamped photos of her injuries.
Over the weekend, Ross’ ex-girlfriend, model Jazzma Kendrick, 39, posted photos of her bloody mouth on Instagram. She accused him of abuse and said he treated her like “a punching bag.”
Ross’ attorney, Bradley Horenstein, told TMZ his client is being “wrongfully accused by an ex-girlfriend whose true motivations are unclear.” He noted she waited a month to file a report, said Ross is innocent and asked the public not to prejudge him.
