Rick Ross faced a court hearing in Miami on October 1 after being arrested on domestic violence-related battery charges. The hearing became widely shared online after the judge rejected an attempt to speed up his release because of his celebrity status.
MIAMI BEACH, Florida Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts II, surrendered to police and was booked on one felony charge of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor battery charge. The charges are connected to allegations made by a woman who told police that Ross physically attacked her during an August 28 incident. Ross has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer says he is innocent.
During the bond hearing, Ross's lawyer asked for the release process to be moved faster, pointing to the rapper's fame and concerns about his safety while in custody.
Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer rejected that argument. She said she did not know Ross as a celebrity and that he would be treated fairly like anyone else in the court system. The short exchange quickly spread across social media.
The judge set Ross's total bond at $5,000. He was released after posting the bond and was ordered to stay away from the alleged victim and surrender firearms or concealed weapons. His next court hearing, an arraignment, is scheduled for October 22.
The case is still ongoing, and the allegations against Ross have not been proven in court.
