Nelly’s legal team is pushing back against the rapper’s recent arrest, claiming an overzealous officer unfairly targeted him. Attorney Scott Rosenblum told Page Six on Wednesday that Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes, Jr., was singled out after winning several jackpots at the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis.
“After winning several jackpots at a venue where Mr. Haynes frequently visits and entertains at its amphitheater; instead of just supervising the transfer of Mr. Haynes’ winnings, this officer felt compelled to needlessly run a check for warrants,” Rosenblum stated.
The incident unfolded early Wednesday morning when the 49-year-old artist was taken into custody by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Gaming Division at around 5 a.m. The arrest was initially attributed to a failure-to-appear warrant dating back to 2018 out of Maryland Heights. However, Rosenblum argues that the arresting officer went beyond his duties.
According to Rosenblum, the officer justified the background check by claiming it was mandatory for players winning over a certain amount. “Mr. Haynes knew this to be untrue as he had won several jackpots for similar or greater amounts, including one just a week prior, without incident or a background check,” Rosenblum explained.
Further complicating matters, the officer allegedly conducted a search without probable cause and claimed to have found four ecstasy pills in Nelly’s personal property. Rosenblum refuted this claim, emphasizing that Nelly often travels internationally and is regularly required to provide proof of no warrants, including FBI checks.
“I am 100 percent confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct,” Rosenblum concluded.
