Rapper Rick Ross arrested in Florida domestic-violence case

Rapper Rick Ross has been arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, on charges of battery by strangulation and battery in an alleged domestic-violence incident, according to Miami-Dade jail and court records cited by CBS News Miami. Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts, was arrested early Thursday and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Centre at 6:10am. He faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery, with both charges classified as domestic violence.

An arrest affidavit cited by The U.S. Sun says a woman who told police she had been in a relationship with Ross for about a year accused him of becoming angry after seeing that she had been tagged in an Instagram photograph. The woman alleged that Ross slapped her, struck her in the chest and twisted the collar of her hoodie around her neck, restricting her breathing.

She also alleged that he pulled her by the ponytail, slammed her against a wall and struck her in the face, causing an injury to her lip. According to the affidavit, she further said Ross pushed her to the floor, turned on the shower and tried to spray her with the showerhead. The allegations have not been tested in court.

Ross’s lawyer, Bradley Horenstein, denied the claims and urged the public not to prejudge the case. “The allegations are false. He’s innocent,” Horenstein told CBS News Miami, adding that he expected the truth to emerge through the legal process.

Bond was listed at $5,000 for the strangulation charge and $1,000 for the battery charge. His arraignment is scheduled for October 22. The arrest followed public allegations by former girlfriend Jazzma Kendrick, although authorities had not confirmed whether those claims were connected to the criminal case.