Miami-Dade prosecutor drops strangulation charge against Rick Ross

A felony battery charge against rapper Rick Ross was removed from his Miami Beach domestic violence case this week. The Miami-Dale State Attorney’s Office filed motion to dismiss the battery by strangulation count on Thursday, citing insufficient evidence. Ross, who is legally named William Roberts II, remains charged with one misdemeanor count of battery domestic violence.

The incident occurred on Aug. 28 in a residence where Ross was living with a woman. According to the arrest report, the woman told Miami Beach detectives that Ross accused her of infidelity and struck her multiple times. She stated he choked her by the collar of her shirt and slammed her into a wall. She left the home and returned later to retrieve her belongings after Ross had departed.

Ross surrendered to police at the Miami Beach station on Oct. 1, two days after the report was filed. Officials released him on bail several hours later. He has entered a plea of not guilty to the remaining charges. His attorney stated on Friday that Ross will continue to defend himself against the allegations.

This is not the first time Ross has faced criminal allegations. Georgia court records show he pleaded no contest to aggravated assault in 2017. That case stemmed from a 2015 incident at his suburban Atlanta mansion, where he allegedly forced a man into a guesthouse and struck him with a handgun. A first-time offender program in Georgia later issued an order exonerating him of guilt on that felony count.

Ross has maintained a long-standing presence in South Florida and the music industry. He gained national attention in 2006 with his debut single “Hustlin'”, which received double platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The track led to a bidding war among labels before he signed with Def Jam Records under Jay-Z's management. His debut album “Port of Miami” also achieved platinum status and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

He has continued to release chart-topping albums, including “Trilla” in 2008 and “Deeper Than Rap” in 2009. Ross has received nine Grammy Award nominations over his career. In 2008, he founded Maybach Music Group, a label that helped launch the careers of artists such as Wale, Meek Mill, and French Montana. His most recent album, “Set In Stone,” was released in July.