It seems as if rapper Nelly is facing quite the “Dilemma” thanks to his recent arrest in Missouri, but conflicting details are making his story murky. We’ll explain.
On Wednesday, the Country Grammar rapper was taken into custody at the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis on charges of allegedly possessing ecstasy pills and not having vehicle insurance, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol per TMZ. After winning the jackpot at the casino, the rapper was informed by working officer that he would need to conduct a background check before releasing the money to him. Per his lawyer Scott Rosenblum, Nelly (legally Cornell Haynes II) reportedly knew that procedure was false due to him having previously won larger amounts at the same venue and being able to take his winnings home with no issue.
According to TMZ, this time however, he wasn’t so lucky as the background check ended up showing he had a warrant from 2018 for having no insurance that the “Hot in Here” artist was allegedly unaware of. This, in turn, led the officer to put handcuffs on the rapper, arrest him and “parade him through the casino in front of other patrons.”
In a statement to TMZ, Rosenblum blasted the “overzealous, out of line officer” for his conduct, clarified that the arrest had more to do the no insurance warrant—not alleged possession of the drug, and said that an inquiry into the officer would be put in motion.
“Under similar circumstances, assuming there was an old warrant without any notice to the individual for no proof of insurance, any other citizen would have been told to address it and allowed to go on their way,” the statement read in part. “It is also important to note that Mr. Haynes, as part as the requirements to travel internationally is regularly asked to supply proof of no warrants. Including FBI checks. There were none. I am 100% confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be askiing for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct.”