Rick Ross no longer faces felony charge in Miami Beach domestic violence case

MIAMI — A felony charge against rapper Rick Ross that stemmed from his arrest in connection with a domestic violence incident was dropped after his attorney appeared in a Miami court on Friday. Prosecutors cited insufficient evidence to pursue the charge.

Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, surrendered to detectives at Miami Beach headquarters on Oct. 1 before being taken into custody and charged with a felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery.

"He's very happy that the State Attorney's Office chose not to file the felony charge," Ross' attorney, Bradley Horenstein, told CBS News Miami on Friday.

"They said that he strangled this woman," Horenstein said. "The state attorney's office has dropped that strangulation count. A felony charge is very serious. And the allegations of strangling someone are very serious."

According to Miami Beach police and the arrest affidavit, the charges stem from an alleged late August domestic violence incident at his residence on Star Island that was reported to police on Sept. 29.

The alleged incident occurred Aug. 28, when a woman told investigators Ross became upset over a photograph she was tagged in on Instagram.

According to the arrest report, the woman accused Ross of slapping her, striking her several times and restricting her breathing by grabbing the collar of her hoodie. Investigators said she provided photographs of her injuries and a sworn statement. Police also reviewed surveillance video from the property.

Ross has denied the allegations, calling them fabricated.

Horenstein questioned the evidence supporting the original felony charge, pointing to photographs of the woman's alleged injuries.

"Those photographs, they also show her neck and there's no evidence on her neck of strangulation or asphyxia or anything like that," Horenstein said.

Court documents filed Thursday show prosecutors declined to file the felony battery by strangulation charge, citing insufficient evidence.

Prosecutors also declined to file the original misdemeanor battery charge listed in the arrest case, instead filing one count of misdemeanor domestic violence battery.

The remaining charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, and the case will proceed in Miami-Dade County Court.

"Just like we asked at the beginning for everyone to hold off rushing to judgment, we're going to ask that you just wait for it all to play out in court and the truth will all come out," Horenstein said.

CBS News Miami is working to confirm when Ross is expected to return to court.

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