Rick Ross Felony Charge Dismissed; Misdemeanors Remain

Prosecutors dismissed Rick Ross‘ felony charge for insufficient evidence, but two misdemeanors for battery and battery/domestic violence, remain, TMZ reported.

The 50-year-old rapper had pleaded not guilty after his October 1 surrender to Miami Beach police.

At the time, he faced battery by strangulation and a separate misdemeanor battery charge.

His former girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, told investigators that he attacked her on August 28 at his Star Island home, where they had been living together. Ross denied her account.

The allegations became public before his arrest. Kendrick shared photographs of what she described as injuries and said she had left the relationship.

AllHipHop previously covered her account and the details police later released about the confrontation.

Jail records showed he was booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m. that morning, according to NBC 6.

At his first court appearance, Judge Mindy Glazer set total bond at $5,000. She also ordered Ross to stay away from Kendrick and surrender any firearms.

After leaving jail that day, Ross disputed the allegations in front of reporters.

“First and foremost, I’m totally innocent of these fabricated allegations made against me,” he said, according to WSVN.

Kendrick told police an Instagram photo in which she was tagged led Ross to accuse her of seeing someone else. She said he hit her when she denied it. Her account also included claims that he struck her chest and pulled her by her ponytail.

Police said they had gathered material beyond her statement. Miami Beach Police spokesperson Christopher Bess told WSVN that detectives collected injury photographs and surveillance video of the alleged incident. He said their investigation established probable cause for the arrest.

By October 22, the defense was raising a different issue: whether prosecutors had formally filed charges.

Ross had been due for his arraignment that day, but the hearing was postponed. His attorneys said no formal charges had been filed at that point.

Defense attorney Bradley Horenstein had also questioned why Kendrick waited about a month to report the alleged attack. He urged the public to let the case play out before judging Ross.