Bobby Shmurda’s Lawyer Says Detectives in Rapper’s Investigation Have Credibility Issues

Bobby Shmurda, the Brooklyn rapper who has now been in jail for over a year following his December 2014 arrest on an array of drug and weapons charges, is set to stand trial next month. But today (Jan. 11), Shmurda appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court and his lawyer made a request that could fundamentally alter the dynamics of the coming trial.

According to Billboard, Alex Spiro, the attorney for Shmurda, requested a series of records from the Special Narcotics Prosecutors' office, the body which was responsible for a year-long investigation into Shmurda and several of his associates. Spiro claims these records raise serious "credibility issues" with two of the investigation's lead detectives. Neither detective was named in court, but Spiro believes there is evidence that each of them has been accused of planting evidence, making unfounded arrests and a variety of other Fourth Amendment violations (The Fourth Amendment protects Americans against unlawful searches and seizures.)

Spiro told the court that the two detectives in question have been "stopping and frisking" Shmurda, born Ackquille Pollard, and his associates for months (or years, in some cases), each time releasing them after finding no illegal items. The argument, then, is that consistent harassment that yielded no charges could speak to the detectives' objectivity while on the case.

Shmurda's trial is set to begin Feb. 22. It remains to be seen what the fallout of Spiro's discovery application will be, but it could have bearing on Shmurda's bail applications; he's currently being held on $2 million bond, and has had several packages denied already.

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