Rick Ross arrested on domestic battery and strangulation charges

Highlights

• Rapper Rick Ross, legal name William Leonard Roberts II, was arrested in Miami Beach early Thursday on one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor battery charge
• Both charges are listed as involving domestic violence; he was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a total bond of $6,000
• His attorneys have entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and say he is being wrongfully accused; arraignment is scheduled for October 22
• The arrest follows an accusation from his ex-girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, who alleges an incident took place at his Miami Beach home on August 28

Rick Ross was arrested in Miami Beach early Thursday morning, days after his ex-girlfriend publicly accused him of physical abuse.

The arrest and charges

According to Miami-Dade jail and court records, Ross — whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II — was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m. on a felony charge of battery by strangulation and a misdemeanor battery charge, both listed as domestic violence offenses. Bond was set at $5,000 for the felony charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor, for a total of $6,000. He appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy S. Glazer later that morning, where his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. His arraignment is scheduled for October 22.

What's being alleged

Police say the incident Ross is accused of took place on August 28 at his Miami Beach home. According to a law enforcement source cited by TMZ, Ross's ex-girlfriend told investigators he became enraged after seeing her tagged in a photo on Instagram and accused her of being involved with someone else, striking her each time she denied it — including, she alleges, several blows to the chest. The report further alleges he choked her to the point she couldn't breathe, grabbed her by the ponytail, and slammed her against a wall. Ross voluntarily surrendered to police after his ex-girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, contacted law enforcement on Tuesday, days after she had accused him publicly on social media of hitting her and shared images of her injuries.

These remain allegations at this stage. Ross has not been convicted of any offense in this case, and his legal team disputes the account entirely.

His side

Ross has retained attorneys Steve Sadow and Bradley Horenstein. In a statement provided to TMZ, his legal team said: "Roberts is innocent and has pled not guilty to the charges." Attorney Bradley Horenstein also told CBS News Miami that further details would emerge as the case proceeds: "Everything is going to come out."

A previous case, and how it was actually resolved

This isn't Ross's first serious legal case. In 2015, he and a bodyguard were arrested and charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and aggravated battery after two former groundskeepers at his Georgia estate accused the pair of beating them. Ross maintained at the time that he had acted in self-defense after being startled by the men in the dark. The case didn't go to trial: in 2017, Ross reached a plea deal, entering a no-contest plea to one felony count of aggravated assault — eligible to be wiped from his record as a first-time offender once he paid a $10,000 fine — along with five misdemeanor charges, including assault and battery. He was sentenced to five years' probation.