Gunna to be Released from Jail. He Pleads Guilty and Maintains His Innocence
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Rapper Gunna is coming to the event released from prison Wednesday’s guilty plea to one conspiracy charge of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act was accepted.
“Pushin P,” the Georgia rapper who was behind bars since May’s arrest, stated that he was not pleading guilty but that he entered an Alford plea. This means that he still maintains his innocence.
Gunna, 29; and Young Thug (who was arrested two days before Gunna was among 28 people who were accused of illegal racketeering activities as part of a group called Young Slime Life or Young Stoner Life (YSL).
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Gunna said he became affiliated with YSL in 2016, but “did not consider it a ‘gang'”—instead, he said, it was “a group of people from metro Atlanta who had common interests and artistic aspirations.”
“My focus of YSL was entertainment — rap artists who wrote and performed music that exaggerated and ‘glorified’ urban life in the Black community,” he said in his statement. “I have made it clear that I will always be truthful. However, I have not made any statements or been interviewed. I have not given any testimony or agreed to be a witness in any case. I have absolutely NO intention to be part of the trial process.
Gunna said, “I have decided to end my RICO case by entering an Alford plea. I also want to end my personal ordeal through publicly acknowledging my association in YSL. In my case, an Alford plea is the acceptance of a guilty plea to one charge. This is in my best interests, and I am still innocent about the other.
The rapper ended his statement by saying that he “loves”[s] Keep it in your heart[es]His association with YSL music was “unbreakable” and he plans to “give back my community and teach young people that violence and gangs only lead to destruction.”
Prince Williams/Wireimage Young Thug & Gunna
Steve Sadow, Gunna’s attorney, confirmed to PEOPLE the rapper was sentenced under the terms of the agreement to five years. One year was served in prison. The other one was commuted to “time served.” Gunna’s sentence will end after he has completed 500 hours community service.
According to the Associated Press, the rapper Sergio Giovanni Kitchens was held without bond three times since May’s arrest. ABC News. His trial was set to begin next month.
He released a letter from jail In June, he declared his innocence and stated that he was being falsely accused. He will continue fighting for my freedom!
He wrote, “Nothing can stop me from following my dreams, and I won’t cease being a positive person, even though some unnamed accuser wants the world to view me as a bad person,”
RELATED: Gunna Says He’s ‘Innocent’ in Letter from Jail: I ‘Will Never Stop Fighting to Clear My Name’
According to the indictment, obtained by PEOPLE, his arrest and that Young Thug’s was made after a long indictment was filed. It accused 28 alleged YSL members with conspiring “to assimilate together and with other people for the common purpose of illegally obtaining property and money through a pattern or racketeering activities and participating in the enterprise through a scheme of racketeering.”
The indictment included lyrics from several music videos as evidence. The indictment alleges that YSL members committed crimes to promote and protect the group.
The case has raised questions about whether rap lyrics should not be allowed in court. California was the first state to allow rap lyrics in court. sign into law a landmark bill This restricts their use in court.
In November, over 100 artists, including Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Megan Thee Stallion, Megan Thee Stallion, and Drake, performed. signed an open letter protesting the use. According to the BBC: Hip-hop lyrics have been used in more than 500 U.S. criminal cases in the last 20 years.