Rapper NBA YoungBoy won a major legal victory in California court today (July 15th), after a jury found him not guilty of gun possession charges.
On March 22nd, 2021, the rapper led police on a chase in Tarzana, California, as they attempted to serve a federal warrant on the rapper for gun possession charges stemming from a video shoot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The rapper eventually bailed from his Mercedes Maybach and fled through neighborhood backyards before apprehending him.
The cops searched the luxury vehicle and found an FNX-45 .45 caliber pistol on the floorboard. NBA YoungBoy was charged with possession of a firearm in ammunition by a convicted felon.
After almost a year and a half, the high-profile trial for the rapper, born Kenntrell Gaulden, kicked off on Tuesday (July 12th).
During the two-day trial, prosecutors claimed the rapper proved he was guilty by fleeing from the traffic stop, jumping out of his car, and attempting to evade police.
The rapper’s lawyer, James Manasseh, claimed his superstar client panicked due to the show of force by the LAPD and the fact that he was unaware of the federal warrant for his arrest out of Baton Rouge.
Manasseh also claimed that NBA YoungBoy had no clue the gun was inside the Maybach.
On Wednesday, FBI forensic examiner Icel Kuznetsova admitted that no fingerprints were found on the gun, the grip, the magazine, or the shells found in the vehicle.
After five hours of deliberations, a jury sided with the rapper and found him not guilty of the charges.
NBA YoungBoy scored several significant victories, which undoubtedly led to his acquittal.
First, a judge ruled that his rap lyrics could not be used against him during the trial.
And, his defensive attorney successfully proved that there was no evidence tying him to the gun found in the vehicle, which had been used by other people, despite NBA YoungBoy’s name being on the lease.
While today’s victory was good news for the rapper, he is still facing another gun possession trial in Louisiana over an arsenal of weapons found during a video shoot in Baton Rouge in September 2020.
A hearing, in that case, is slated for August.