The man charged in the killing of Takeoff has been granted $5,000 by a judge to hire a private investigator to aid his defense, per NBC News.
33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark, who was arrested earlier this month and charged with the murder of the Migos rapper, filed a motion this week asking for funds to hire an investigator who agreed to work at a reduced rate. In his filing made on Monday, the suspect said he had “exhausted all finances to pay for his attorney who has agreed to a substantially reduced rate.”
The court granted the motion on Friday, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office has been ordered to allow a P.I. to access Clark, who is currently behind bars, with a laptop, printer, and device to record their conversations. Authorities said Clark was the man who pulled the trigger on Takeoff during the early hours of Nov. 1 in Houston, Texas. Clark was identified by police through the use of shooting reconstruction and ballistics evidence. Cellphone and surveillance footage, which “surfaced over time,” additionally helped with identifying him.
Clark’s attorneys said he wasn’t the individual who shot Takeoff following a “lucrative” dice game that escalated to violence. His attorney Letitia Quinones said her client is “nervous” and “concerned” because he is “being charged with something that he believes he’s innocent of.”
Patrick Xavier Clark’s bond is set at $2 million, although he has a bond reduction hearing on Dec. 14.
Takeoff was shot in the head and torso amid the altercation, which happened as he and fellow Migos rapper Quavo left a bowling alley. According to police, the late artist was an innocent bystander and not involved in the dispute that led to gunfire.
