Earlier this week, news broke about a rape case involving Charlamagne Tha God possibly being reopened. However, according to Billboard, South Carolina Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett A. Wilson issued a statement saying that Charlamagne was presumed innocent in the previous case and it will not be reopened.
"The plea was negotiated because the alleged victim in the matter did not cooperate with the prosecutor. The prosecutor made this agreement because of the victim's absence and the lack of evidence available at the time. While the tools and technology of justice have evolved, in cases involving personal violence, the State must have the witness to prosecute. Too often, the key witness will not come forward in support of criminal prosecution. Trying a tough case is no problem; trying an impossible case is not ethical."
She added, "South Carolina law is clear that once a defendant enters plea negotiations and a plea agreement is accepted but the court, due process requires the State to honor the agreement," she said. We are duty-bound to honor the agreement in this case. The State's prosecution has ended and the dismissed charge against Mr. McKelvey will not be resurrected. The law presumes that Mr. McKelvey is innocent of the dismissed allegation."
Charlamagne, real name Lenard Larry McKelvey, was accused of drugging and raping 15-year-old Jessica Reid at a party in 2001. Charlamagne was 22-years-old at the time. Reid told The Blast earlier this week that she wanted the case reopened so she could get closure. In the same story, Reid's mother revealed that she stopped Jessica from cooperating in the case because she didn't want her to suffer.
Charlamagne has denied the allegations and was given three years probation in the case after he pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
If you are a victim of sexual assault, please call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
