Drakeo the Ruler, who was found not guilty on murder and attempted murder charges last year, has accepted a plea deal and is finally a free man again.
The news was first shared by reporter Jeff Weiss, who has closely followed and reported on Drakeo's case. "The DA suddenly offered Drakeo a plea deal for time served," he tweeted on Wednesday. "He took it. The Ruler will be coming home tonight."
In a statement provided to Complex, Drakeo said: "We know the truth. The truth is undisputed. #DrakeoFree."
Over the course of Drakeo's drawn-out trial, prosecutors utilized his own music against him and claimed his group, the Stinc Team, was a gang.
The South Central rapper was in prison awaiting trial for criminal gang conspiracy and shooting from a motor vehicle charges, and was facing 25 years behind bars if found guilty. As Weiss pointed out on Twitter, the lead that former San Francisco district attorney George Gascón holds over incumbent Los Angeles County district attorney Jackie Lacey likely had an impact on the decision. "We have every reason to be cynical," he added, "But this was a case where collective action and organization actually paid real life dividends."
In an interview with Complex back in June, Drakeo indicated Lacey was "the reason" he was headed back to trial after the murder charges against him were dropped.
"There are other prosecutors and all that, but she’s responsible for everything that happened to us, my brother, everybody," Drakeo explained. "Now motherfuckers got gang enhancements for nothing. Tagging crews, jerkin crews, whatever. Hopefully, justice ends up coming. She needs to resign."
Earlier this year, Drakeo released his highly acclaimed project Thank You for Using GTL, which he recorded while incarcerated.
