Charlamagne 2001 Rape Case Will Not Be Reopened, Says “My Hopes & Prayers Are With Everyone Involved”
Charlamagne 2001 Rape Case Will Not Be Reopened, Says “My Hopes & Prayers Are With Everyone Involved”
Over the last week, a seventeen-year-old rape case against radio personality Charlamagne Tha God resurfaced, threatening the on-air jock’s credibility and morality. According to the accusations, Charlamagne, real name Lenard Larry McKelvey, was arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, now 32 years old.
The victim Jessica Reid, says she was sexually assaulted by McKelvey in 2001, a charge he denied. However, eventually, she stopped pursuing the case. In 2002, the rape case against McKelvey was dropped and he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor due to him serving alcohol at his home where the 15-year-old got drunk. The charges were reduced due to McKelvey providing DNA results that did not match the victim’s assailant. Reid now asks that the case be reopened. However, that will not be happening.
According to the reports, the case will not be reopened. South Carolina Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett A. Wilson issued a statement.
South Carolina law is clear that once a defendant enters plea negotiations and a plea agreement is accepted but the court, due process requires the State to honor the agreement,” she said. We are duty-bound to honor the agreement in this case. The State’s prosecution has ended and the dismissed charge against Mr. McKelvey will not be resurrected. The law presumes that Mr. McKelvey is innocent of the dismissed allegation.
Charlamagne addressed the situation this morning stating,
My hopes and prayers are with everyone involved and all victims of sexual assault.