Cee Lo Green pleads not guilty to felony ecstasy charge in L.A.
Cee Lo Green has pleaded not guilty to a felony drug charge.
“The Voice” mentor was charged Monday with one felony count of furnishing a controlled substance, specifically MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and was arraigned later in the day in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, where he pleaded not guilty.
The Grammy-winning singer entered his plea through his attorney, Blair Berk, and waived his right to a speedy trial, LA Now reported. He also agreed to surrender to the Los Angeles Police Department to be booked within within seven days; a bond agent immediately appeared to post $30,000 bail for his release.
DOCUMENT: Complaint against Cee Lo Green
Prosecutors said Green, 39, whose real name is Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, allegedly slipped ecstasy to a 33-year-old woman while they were having dinner in mid-July 2012 before they went to the woman’s hotel room, according to a statement from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
Prosecutors didn’t file a charge of rape of an intoxicated person against Green because because they did not have sufficient evidence, the statement said.
According to TMZ, the woman taped Green talking about the incident, but he reportedly never said anything about putting ecstasy in her drink. However, he did talk about the drug, which prosecutors interpreted as a taped confession of drug use, the site said.
“We are pleased that the Los Angeles County District Attorney has completed its investigation and concluded that the evidence did not support the false and unfounded claims made over a year ago,” Berk told TMZ, adding that any sexual contact between Green and the woman was consensual.
A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov. 20. Green could face up to four years in state prison if convicted.
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