Lil Nas X enters a mental health program intended to lead to dropped charges of attacking police
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has allowed Lil Nas X to enter a mental health diversion program intended to lead to the dismissal of charges of attacking Los Angeles police officers.
Judge Alan Schneider told the “Old Town Road” rapper and singer on Monday that if he sticks to his treatment program and obeys all laws for two years, his four felony counts will be dismissed.
The court found that the incident was the result of his since-diagnosed bipolar disorder and was an aberration from his usual behavior.
The program, formally known as postponement of prosecution probation, also requires that he not possess guns or threaten violence.
Authorities allege that the 26-year-old was walking naked down a street in LA’s San Fernando Valley in August, and charged at police officers who were responding to calls about him. A criminal complaint says three officers were hurt. Photos and video apparently shot before the police confrontation showed him walking in the street in only white briefs and white boots.
He pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of battery with injury on a police officer along with one count of resisting an executive officer.
A few days later in a video posted to Instagram, Lil Nas X, who was free on bail, said “these last four days have been terrifying” but reassured fans that he would be fine.
Outside court on Monday he told Rolling Stone, which first reported on the diversion agreement, that he is “thankful. Just very thankful,” and that it “could have been much worse.”
The District Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.
The Atlanta artist is best known for 2018’s country and hip-hop merging “Old Town Road,” which spent a record 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won him two Grammys.
Known for his genre-bending, innovating sounds and style, Lil Nas X’s first full studio album, 2021’s “Montero,” went to No. 2 on the Billboard album chart and was nominated for a Grammy for album of the year. Other hits have included “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).”