ATLANTA — Reports of Atlanta rapper, YFN Lucci, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett being offered a plea deal have been confirmed to Channel 2 Action News by the rapper’s attorney.
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Lucci’s attorney, Drew Findling, called the plea offer “absurd,” stating that his client is still awaiting trial after two and a half years of being in custody.
“The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has decided to instead focus on other, newer, high-profile cases that have completely monopolized the Court’s resources and have illustrated the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office’s utter inability to prosecute complex cases,” he said.
In January 2021, Lucci turned himself in after Atlanta police said Bennett was wanted for multiple charges for his part in the shooting death of a man.
Police said he had a role in the shooting death of James Adams, 28, on Dec. 10. Investigators said they were called out to Peeples Street in southwest Atlanta for a reported shooting.
Officers said when they arrived at the scene, they found Adams lying in the middle of the street with a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators said a short time later, Kevin Wright, 32, showed up at a nearby fire station with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He survived his injuries.
Police said during the investigation process, they learned the shooting of the two men were linked.
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In May 2021, Bennett was among a dozen suspects indicted in a 75-page, 105-count racketeering indictment focused on factions within the Bloods street gang.
“This indictment is unprecedented. Period,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told Channel 2 Investigative reporter Mark Winne in an exclusive interview.
“There’s been a huge spike in violent crime,” Willis said. “I made a commitment to bring the best and the brightest minds here, many of which you see sitting here right now so that we could deal with this issue of this violent crime.”
The indictment suggests Lucci is an associate of the Bloods and the allegations against him include tampering with evidence of a homicide by concealing a crime scene and vehicle by hiding it, assaulting someone by strangulation, and encouraging the striking and kicking of that person for playing rival gang music.
Lucci is already facing a felony murder charge in connection to the shooting death of a man in December.
Willis says the felony murder allegations against Lucci and some others in the RICO case involve the homicide for which Lucci’s already been released on bond.
“We believe that it is part of a bigger picture,” Willis said.
Lucci has been housed at the Fulton County Jail since surrendering in May 2021 on the gang-related RICO indictment.
“He’s not guilty of all charges,” Lucci’s attorney Drew Findling said.
“Is YFN Lucci a member or an associate of any criminal street gang?” Winne asked Findling.
“No. He’s not a gang member. What he is, is an internationally recognized musical artist that is a triple platinum winner,” Findling said.
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