Brooklyn rapper Casanova, who surrendered to authorities in December on charges of racketeering and murder, was denied bond today. The bail would have been set at $2.5 million but Manhattan Federal Judge Philip Halpern made it clear that he believed the rapper to be too great a risk for release.
via: NY Daily News
A judge denied Brooklyn rapper Casanova’s bid for bail Thursday, ruling that he presented a danger to the community if released from jail.
Manhattan Federal Judge Philip Halpern said Casanova’s criminal history, along with the evidence against the accused Gorilla Stone Bloods member, made it too risky to grant him $2.5 million bail pending trial. Casanova’s real name is Caswell Senior.
“The fact that violence seems to be perpetuated by associates of Mr. Senior … it’s plausible to interpret that as evidence … Mr. Senior doesn’t have to get his hands dirty,” Halpern said.
“(Casanova) is a full fledged, committed leader of the gang,” Assistant U.S. Attorney David Felton said, citing “rampant evidence of guns, drugs and violence centrally involving this defendant.”
Defense attorney James Kousouros unsuccessfully argued that the government’s case boiled down to comments by other accused gangsters about Casanova, as well as photos of him with large amounts of weed.
Casanova faces a minimum of 15 years in prison on charges of toting firearms and dealing drugs in connection with the gang. Prosecutors say he held a position near the top of Gorilla Stone, which was founded by incarcerated gangster Dwight “Dick Wolf” Reid.
The judge cautioned that was difficult to “fully understand” Casanova’s status within the gang.
Prayers to Casanova, good luck with the case.
