Full Breakdown
Rick Ross Domestic Violence Case: Felony Charge Dropped, Misdemeanor Remains
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Event – Felony Battery Charge Dismissed
Prosecutors in Miami-Dade County filed paperwork on Thursday to drop the felony battery-by-strangulation charge against rapper Rick Ross, citing “insufficient evidence.” The rapper, whose legal name is reported as William Roberts II in one filing and William Leonard Roberts II in another, now faces a misdemeanor battery/domestic-violence charge. He was arrested on October 1 after voluntarily turning himself in and was released on a $5,000 bond. At an arraignment on October 30, Ross pleaded not guilty to the remaining charge.
02
Background & Context
Ross, a Grammy-nominated artist who rose to fame with the 2006 single “Hustlin’,” has previously faced violent-crime allegations. In 2017 he entered a no-contest plea to aggravated assault in Georgia after an incident at his Atlanta mansion; the case was later dismissed under a first-time-offender program. The current case stems from an alleged altercation at his Star Island residence in late August, when a woman who was living with him accused him of striking, choking, and slamming her against a wall.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Data & Statistics
- Original charges (October 1): felony battery by strangulation + misdemeanor battery.
- Current charge (after dismissal): misdemeanor battery/domestic-violence (some reports note an additional misdemeanor battery charge).
- Alleged incident: late August, at the rapper’s Miami-Beach home.
- Bond: $5,000 posted on the day of arrest.
04
Official Statements & Responses
Defense attorney Brad Horenstein told reporters that “Mr.
Miami Beach Police spokesman Christopher Bess emphasized the department’s commitment to domestic-violence investigations, noting that detectives obtained a victim statement, photographs of injuries, and surveillance video that established probable cause for the arrest.
05
On-the-Ground Reports
The accuser, identified in media coverage as Jazzma Kendrick, said the dispute began after she was tagged in a photo on Instagram, prompting Ross to accuse her of cheating. She alleged that Ross struck her repeatedly, twisted the collar of her hoodie to restrict her breathing, grabbed her ponytail, and slammed her into a wall, resulting in a busted lip. Police reports state that she provided timestamped photographs of her injuries and that detectives considered possible video footage of the incident.
06
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Legal name: Sources differ, listing the rapper as William Roberts II and William Leonard Roberts II.
- Number of misdemeanor charges: Some outlets report a single misdemeanor battery/domestic-violence charge, while others cite two separate misdemeanor counts (battery and battery/domestic-violence).
- Victim identification: Court documents describe the complainant as an “anonymous woman,” whereas other reports name her as Jazzma Kendrick.
- Details of the alleged assault: Variations exist in descriptions of specific actions (e.g., whether a shower head was used) and the sequence of events.
07
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our detectives, our police department, takes any allegations of domestic violence very seriously, which is why we acted swiftly,” — Christopher Bess, beach police spokesman
- “The day Rick busted my lip and the day I left,” — Jazzma Kendrick
08
What’s Next
The rapper is scheduled for further court proceedings following his not-guilty plea on October 30. No additional hearings or deadlines have been publicly announced.