Rapper Silento Remains in Jail After Judge Denies Request for Bail
A DeKalb County, Georgia judge shut down rapper Silento’s request to be released on bail. The 23-year-old has been charged with the murder of his older cousin.
The lawyers for Silento, whose real name is Richard “Ricky” Lamar Hawk, argued he is a role model in his community and not a flight risk. Nonetheless, the judge believed due to his mental health and a history of “not taking his prescribed medication made him a risk to the community,” the outlet reports.
Even Silento’s grandparents asked the judge to deny his $25,000 bail request.
According to police, on Jan. 21, 2020 at 3:30 a.m., a series of gunshots were heard by neighbors, in Panthersville, Ga. Silento’s cousin, Frederick Rooks, 34, was reportedly found in the middle of a residential street with multiple gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Responding officers were able to obtain video from the security cameras of multiple residents, the AJC reports. Videos captured at least one gunshot and show several vehicles fleeing the scene.
According to the police report, eight bullet casings were collected at the scene.
“After a thorough investigation, DKPD detectives identified Hawk as Rooks’ cousin, and the person responsible for Rooks’ murder,” said police spokeswoman Michaela Vincent in a statement noting that detectives are still trying to uncover a motive for the shooting
On Feb. 1, Silento was taken into custody and eventually charged with one count of felony murder without bond.
Additionally, he was arrested twice in one week last year for two separate incidents.
Silento was first arrested on domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon charges in Orange County, California and Los Angeles on Aug. 28. He was booked, released and charged with inflicting corporal punishment on a spouse or cohabitant.
A day later, the rapper was arrested a second time and charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Silento is best known for his debut hit song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015.
