Rapper Nelly won’t face drug charges stemming from his August arrest at a St. Louis-area casino, a prosecutor said.
“We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday. Bell, a Democrat, recently won election to Congress after defeating Cori Bush in highly contested primary.
Bell did not offer further information about why charges weren’t being filed but said the decision came after “a fair and impartial review of the evidence.”
Scott Rosenblum, the rapper’s attorney, has said the search that led to the arrest was unwarranted.
Nelly, 49, who was born Cornell Haynes II in St. Louis, was arrested around 4:45 a.m. on Aug. 7 at the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Maryland Heights while trying to collect his winnings.
A state trooper stationed at the casino told the “Country Grammar” and “Hot in Herre” singer a warrant search was required for people who won a certain amount of money — which Rosenblum has disputed, saying Nelly was “targeted by an overzealous, out of line officer.”
The search turned up an outstanding 2018 bench warrant for operating a vehicle without proof of insurance. Using that outstanding warrant as a pretext, Nelly was arrested and searched which turned up four ecstasy pills.
Police sought a felony possession of a controlled substance charge.
Rosenblum said the insurance issue was cleared up after the three-time Grammy winner provided proof that the car was covered.
“My information is that the prosecuting attorney’s office has taken a fair and impartial look at the case and has decided not to go forward,” Rosenblum said.
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