WATER COOLER TALK: Judge Changes Rappers Court Sentence Based on a Music Video He Made & Posted to Social Media… fair or unfair?
WATER COOLER TALK: Meet 20 year old Alabama rapper Mose Leonard (pictured left).
Leonard was already in court May 15 for charges of unlawfully breaking and entering into a vehicle. This came a day after he posted the video on YouTube. A judge granted him youthful offender status and suspended his original three-year sentence. But she quickly changed her sentencing after seeing Leonardās video, āToday we have so many kids that get on Facebook and social media and do someĀ crazy stuff,ā the Jefferson County judge said. āI admonished him with regards to the video.ā
Leonard was one of a few youths who participated in a three-minute video is a tribute to Devante Kyshon āRed Manā Hinds. Hinds was killed May 9 when he allegedly tried running a deputy down with a car. Responding officers shot him dead. He was also reportedly involved in a heroin deal, officials said.
The video calls for leaving āpolice bleedingā and ādropping a cop.ā Officers are taking the words seriously; apparently, the images were filmed by the cityās GTO gang, allegedly involved in many local crimes.
Prosecutors showed Ross the video so he wouldnāt get youthful offender status. She was upset because she had previously warned Leonard about his social media habits. āHe got back on Facebook without his fatherās knowledge,ā she added. Leonardās dad is heavily involved in his life and reportedly is upset about his sonās path.
Do you feel the judge was right in changing her sentence because of Leonard’s music video?
*** CAUTION EXPLICIT LANGUAGE USED IN THE VIDEO ***
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