Lil Bibby is calling for the freedom of his fellow 2014 XXL Freshman Kevin Gates. Bibby posted a photo of Gates onto his IG account with a caption, reading, “Free my dog.”
Kevin Gates was sentenced to 180 days in jail for kicking a female fan in the chest. The “Know Better” rapper learned his fate Wednesday after a jury of six white women found him guilty of misdemeanor battery.
Gates was additionally ordered to a one-year probation term, according to Fox 13.
Gates’ sentence is three times more than what prosecutors asked for, according to the Lakeland Evening Ledger.
In a previous hearing, Gates’ attempt to have his case dropped based on the “Stand Your Ground” law was rejected by Franklin.
Gates claimed he was acting in self-defense when he kicked Miranda Dixon in the chest during a Florida show. Gates claimed Dixon tried to grab him twice during his August 2015 show at Club Rumors. He says he gave the young woman a warning after the first attempt.
Gates says he kicked Miranda the second time for grabbing his shorts. He says he thought she was trying to pull him off the stage.
Miranda was present to testify during Wednesday’s court hearing.
“He lifted his foot up and kicked me,” she said.
Gates’ attorney Jose Baez attacked Dixon’s credibility, saying she was lying to get money in a separate civil suit against the rapper.
“Her credibility is to be questioned and you will not be able to beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt in this case believe her and that is why you should enter a verdict of not guilty in this case,” he said, according to Fox 13.
Franklin says Gates’ actions weren’t justified in a previous court hearing.
“While a simple act of touching or pushing someone without his or her consent may amount to simple battery, the Court finds that such a minor act does not necessarily rise to such a level as to justify the use of force in return,” Franklin wrote.
Franklin also found issue with Gates’ credibility.
Gates told Franklin he is in constant fear of his life due to death threats and that no one was on stage with him that night.
Security footage showed there were seven other men and a child onstage.
“Defendant testified that he is always scared for his safety at his shows because of death threats he’s received, yet he allowed a very young child to not only walk out on stage with him but allowed this child to remain on the stage for the entire performance,” Franklin wrote.
Gates recorded song “The Truth” to set the record straight on the events of that night.
“I will not be disrespected, n***a or b***h,” Gates says in the opening of his record.
Gates goes on to give his side of what happened during his performance, rapping, “All in the news bout what happened in Florida/Posted on World Star, iPhone recorded/She grabbed my d**k, overreacted I’m sorry/Two or three times, I already warned her.”
Miranda was hospitalized after getting kicked.
Miranda told ABC Action News the entire ordeal “scared” her and left her in pain.
“It still hurts, so I don’t want to keep touching it,” she said. “…I can’t believe it happened still.”
The victim’s mother, Kristy Irelan, spoke with WFLA about her daughter’s condition revealing she admitted herself to the hospital and had to undergo a CT scan after the incident.
Miranda “passed out” after getting kicked in the chest, the mother reveals.
“It pisses me off,” she told WFLA. “I don’t care who you are – an NFL player, just a regular person or a rapper – you don’t come to anybody’s hometown and kick anybody – she did not deserve that.”
Miranda says she forgives Gates, but is no longer a fan.
“I forgive him. I forgive everyone,” she told ABC Action News. “I just wish he never done it and I’m not a fan of him anymore.”
Gates will serve his time in Polk County Jail.
