Grammy-award winning singer CeeLo Green has pleaded not guilty to giving a woman ecstasy in an LA restaurant in July 2012, after being charged with one felony count of furnishing a controlled substance by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office earlier today.
The case against Green, real name Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, has been building since July last year. According to a statement from the DA’s office, the 33-year-old woman claims the Gnarls Barkley frontman “slipped” the drug in her drink while they were dining together and later went back to her hotel.
The woman also told police she woke up naked in bed after the incident, though after two rounds of investigations there was insufficient evidence to back up allegations of assault and prosecutors declined to charge the 39-year-old Green with rape of an intoxicated person.
Green has previously denied any wrongdoing and backed that up today with a statement through his attorney, Blair Berk, who said both she and he were pleased with the prosecutor’s findings “that the evidence did not support the false and unfounded claims made over a year ago”.
“Mr. Green encouraged a full and complete investigation of those claims and he was confident once conducted he would be cleared of having any wrongful intent and it would be established that any relations were consensual,” Berk said. “CeeLo had faith that if the true facts were known the district attorney would reject those charges.”
Green pleaded not guilty to the drug charges during an arraignment shortly after the charges were laid and posted a $30,000 bond. He now faces a 4-year prison term if convicted but could possibly receive a probationary sentence as it would be his first offense.
He is scheduled to appear in court for another hearing on 20th November.
(Via CNN)
