Why has Nelly been arrested?
8 August 2024, 11:10
Rapper Nelly has been arrested overnight after being stopped by police in St Louis, Missouri.
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Rapper Nelly was arrested last night in St Louis, Missouri after being stopped by police at a traffic stop.
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So, why was Nelly arrested and has he been released yet? Here's everything you need to know.
Why was Nelly arrested?
Nelly was arrested early on Wednesday 7 August for suspected illegal drug possession at a St. Louis-area casino after Missouri Highway Patrol officers found what the patrol said were four ecstacy pills on him.
He was arrested at 4:45 a.m. and charged with having four ecstasy pills — a controlled substance — and for being without insurance, according to state patrol records.
Scott Rosenblum, a lawyer for Nelly, addressed the charges in a statement, stating that Nelly was not charged with drug possession, "He was arrested for 'No Proof of Insurance' from 2018 on a warrant issued December 2023 that he received no notice."
The statement said Nelly was "targeted by an overzealous, out of line officer," who said a background check was required after Nelly won a certain amount at the casino where he was arrested.
Rosenblum said a background check has not previously been performed when Nelly won "similar or greater amounts" at the same venue.
"I am 100% confident this case will go nowhere," Rosenblum said. "And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct," he continued.
