First luck at the casino, then a streak of bad luck: Rapper Nelly has been arrested for drug possession. His lawyer blames the police.
This is what you would call a bad luck in a good fortune: US rapper Nelly (49) was arrested early on Wednesday morning in St. Louis for drug possession, among other things. And this happened immediately after he had won the jackpot in a casino. Nelly was released after a short period of detention in Missouri. Nelly’s lawyer Scott Rosenblum, however, does not see his client as being to blame for Nelly’s arrest. Instead, he fires heavily at an “overzealous” police officer.
World hit with “Hot in Herre”
Rapper Nelly, real name Cornell Haynes II, was once at the top. In 2002, the rap superstar had a hit with “Hot in Herre” that got clubs all over the world going. Nelly’s problem: Tracks and albums from the recent past didn’t even come close to the chart positions of his super hit. The St. Louis rapper, who grew up in difficult circumstances, should still be able to live well off the royalties. As his chart success waned, however, Nelly’s conflicts with the law increased. In 2018, he was caught during a traffic stop without valid insurance. According to the St. Louis police, the arrest warrant issued as a result was the ostensible reason for Nelly’s investigation and arrest.
Arrest after casino luck
What happened? Nelly was at the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis early on Wednesday morning. Nelly had just won a jackpot there when he was arrested by an officer from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. According to police, four ecstasy pills were confiscated from Nelly. He was also charged with the offense of not having insurance, which had occurred some time ago, and was briefly taken into custody. He was released shortly afterwards.
“Targeted by overzealous official”
His lawyer, however, denies the drug charges and blames the police for the arrest. In a statement from attorney Rosenblum, Nelly “was targeted by an overzealous, out-of-step officer.” Nelly’s check was allegedly necessary after Nelly won a certain amount in the casino. Nelly had previously won “similar or larger amounts” at the same venue without being checked. His client was summarily handcuffed and led away in front of the other casino guests. Rosenblum emphasizes that Nelly was not charged with drug possession, but with the former traffic offense. He expressed confidence that the case would come to nothing. His law firm also intends to request an investigation into the conduct of the arresting officer.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
