Rapper Nelly, born Cornell Haynes Jr., has been released from a Washington state jail and not charged after his Saturday-morning arrest for an alleged rape, according to reports.
The rapper tweeted the news of his release Saturday night:
As reported earlier by The Root, Nelly was arrested early Saturday morning after a woman accused him of raping her on his tour bus.
The rapper proclaimed his innocence of the second-degree-rape charges through his lawyer shortly after the news broke; the lawyer said that the Grammy-winning rapper was the “victim of a completely fabricated allegation.” Second-degree rape indicates that force was used or that the victim was mentally or physically incapable of giving consent.
Nelly missed a Saturday-evening show in Ridgefield, Wash., where he was due to perform with pop-country duo Florida Georgia Line.
On Saturday, Nelly spoke to the rape allegations in a series of tweets, apologizing to his loved ones for putting himself in a precarious “situation” and thanking his fans for their “unwavering support”:
No word yet on whether the 42-year-old will continue his tour dates. His next scheduled stop is Oct. 12 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Read more at USA Today.