South Side Rapper Cleared of Latest Juvenile Probation Violation Allegations

 Posted on January 08, 2013 in Criminal Defense

According to the Chicago Tribune, 17-year-old rap star Keith Cozart, a.k.a Chief Keef, recently appeared in Cook County Juvenile Court on allegations that he had violated the terms of his probation by moving from his home in Dolton with his grandmother to another home in Northbrook. After hearing testimony, however, the judge ruled that there was no credible evidence that Cozart had actually moved, and denied the prosecution’s request to incarceration Cozart pending a more comprehensive hearing later this month. Prosecutors also alleged that several attempts to reach Cozart by telephone and at his Dolton address had been unsuccessful, and that his probation officer had not heard from him since December 18, when his first album went on sale. Although the judge declined to incarcerate Cozart, a formal hearing on the probation violation charges has been set for January 28, 2013.

Cozart is currently on probation after being convicted in juvenile court for pointing a gun at a police officer. This alleged probation violation is only the latest allegation in a recent string of legal troubles facing Cozart. Last year, Cozart was accused of violating his probation by holding a rifle at a gun range in New York during a video interview. Police also are currently investigating whether Cozart was involved in the September 2012 murder of 18-year-old rapper Joseph Coleman a/k/a Lil Jojo. Cozart reportedly sent out a taunting tweet about the rapper only hours after the murder, which made national headlines.

As illustrated by the Cozart case, the terms and conditions of probation can include prohibitions against possessing firearms, committing other crimes, and simply failing to notify probation officers of a change of address. A finding of a probation violation, even as a juvenile offender, can result in very serious consequences, including incarceration. As a result, it is essential to have the advice of an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney to assist you throughout probation revocation proceedings.