If found guilty of violating the terms of his house arrest and assaulting a strip club bartender, Kodak Black could face up to eight years in prison. The Pompano Beach, Fla. native appeared in court today (April 19) for a hearing that will determine his fate, the The Sun Sentinel reports.
Prosecutors are attempting to prove that the 19-year-old rapper (whose given name is Dieuson Octave) is guilty of six house arrest violations. He is accused of going to many places, including a Miami strip club and a boxing match in Ohio, without the permission.
In the courtroom were Black’s mother, Marcelene Octave and executives from Atlantic Records, including the company’s vice president of business and legal affairs, Michael Kushner.
Black was given a year of house arrest and five years of probation as part of a 2016 plea deal. He was ordered to remain at his house in Pembroke Pines. The only time that he was allowed to leave was for work. Then, he needed prior permission from his probation officer.
Black’s attorneys argue that their client was working when he appeared at the strip club and boxing match, because they were both promotional appearances.
Black’s probation officer, Sandy Friedman, was the first witness to take the stand. She testified that Octave failed to abide by his conditions, including his failure to complete an anger management program. She also said that he needs more people around him who have his interests at heart instead of their own.
“At 19, I don’t think he has a mentality yet to be able to handle everything being thrown at him at once,” Friedman said. “I think he needs some people who are looking out for his interests. He needs to deal with his problems and he definitely needs anger management…he needs to go into counseling immediately. I think he’s aware of what’s going to happen if he doesn’t.”
Still in limbo, his fate will be decided by Judge Michael Lynch. The hearing is scheduled to continue on Friday.
Full story of today's #KodakBlack hearing. Pix by @sunsentinel photographer Carline Jean @KodakBlack1k https://t.co/x9Cn2X2xSP pic.twitter.com/weLWDE0Dog
— Brett Clarkson (@BrettClarkson_) April 20, 2017
#KodakBlack's violation of probation hearing is over for today. Continues Friday. He's still in the Broward jail. pic.twitter.com/4HNAxY7J17
— Brett Clarkson (@BrettClarkson_) April 19, 2017
Still in court #KodakBlack pic.twitter.com/TxxfnISXpW
— Brett Clarkson (@BrettClarkson_) April 19, 2017
