Lil Nas X bails from jail after pleading not guilty

Lil Nas X has been released from jail after spending the weekend in custody following his arrest in Los Angeles. 

The 26-year-old musician, whose real name is Montero Hill, was taken into custody on Thursday, Aug. 21, after police responded to reports of a man “nude in the street” on Ventura Blvd just before 6 a.m. 

Officers later confirmed the individual was the Industry Baby rapper, who allegedly battered a police officer during the encounter.

According to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, he has been charged with four felonies, three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer, along with a misdemeanor. 

Lil Nas X pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Monday, Aug. 25. He posted $75,000 bail later that day and was released.

In addition to the charges, the judge has ordered him to attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings each week. Police have said they believe he was under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest, though his attorney, Christy O’Connor, noted that test results are still pending. 

She described the situation as “an absolute aberration in his life. Nothing like this has ever happened to him.”

Another member of his legal team, Drew Findling, told The Hollywood Reporter before his release that, “He’s never been in trouble for a split second in his existence, we’re not going to let one little event change the trajectory of his amazing life.” 

He added, “There’s no way to have a sense of what happened this immediately, but we’re going to look into it and do the right thing. Anybody that has kids, you hear about things like this all the time.” 

“Don’t forget, he’s 26 years old. It’s not unusual for something like this to happen, particularly when you have the pressure of being recognized internationally like him,” he continued.

Lil Nas X is now scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 15. If convicted, he could face up to five years in state prison, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.