Lil Nas X Ordered to Attend Narcotics Anonymous Meetings Following Naked Stroll Through Los Angeles
After spending the weekend in lockup in Los Angeles, Lil Nas X is a free man, but not without some serious legal ramifications. The rapper, whose legal name is Montero Hill, has been charged with four felonies. While he’s been released on bond to await further court dates, he’ll need to follow some rules to remain a free man. One stipulation, attendance of Narcotics Anonymous meetings, feels odd considering he is not being charged with a drug-related offense. Here is everything that happened so far.
Why was Lil Nas X arrested?
On August 21, LAPD officers arrested Lil Nas X. The arrest came after police received a series of complaints about a man walking naked down Ventura Blvd. Early reports suggested that he was wearing cowboy boots and white briefs. When police finally did catch up with him in the wee hours of the morning, according to video footage, he was completely naked and incoherent.
According to official police reports, the 26-year-old “Old Town Road” rapper was combative with police when they approached him. TMZ claims police used a taser on the music artist after he ran at police. Lil Nas X reportedly injured multiple police officers in the scuffle. The situation seemingly escalated quickly; At one point, police called for a helicopter. The injuries led to several felony charges.
What are his charges?
Now that he has been arraigned, we know the full details of his charges, and the rapper is facing serious consequences. LiL Nas X has been slapped with four felony charges for the odd naked stroll. According to several sources, he is being charged with three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. Lil Nas X has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to Kraut Law Group, both charges can be tried as misdemeanors or felonies. How the charges are filed depends on the circumstances and severity of the situation. Felony battery with injury on a police officer charges could land Lil Nas X in state prison for up to three years if he is convicted. Resisting an executive officer carries a similar punishment.
A judge has ordered Lil Nas X to attend NA meetings
While Lil Nas X is charged with some pretty serious crimes, he won’t have to sit in jail while he awaits his court dates. A judge set his bail at $75,000. He made that bail relatively quickly. According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department records, Lil Nas X left jail around 3 pm PST on Aug. 25, four days after his initial arrest. According to the Washington Post, the rapper wasn’t just ordered to pay up to get out of jail. His bail came with an important stipulation. A judge ordered him to attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings. While he wasn’t charged with a drug-related crime, police were certain enough that he might be suffering from drug-related effects that they transferred him to a hospital before booking him on his four felony counts. The LAPD has not made his medical findings public, though reports suggest an overdose was suspected.
It is not uncommon for drug-related offenses to include a stipulation related to rehabilitation or participation in a twelve-step program. What is a bit unusual is the fact that a judge is requiring Lil Nas X to attend meetings, as police did not charge him with a drug-related offense. Still, the serious nature of his crimes and the belief that he was under the influence would make the stipulation valid.
He will be back in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 15. Lil Nas X has not publicly addressed his arrest.
