Ludacris‘ manager Chaka Zulu will no longer face trial for murder after prosecutors determined that he acted in self-defense in the death of Artez Benton.
Zulu (real name Ahmed Obafemi) was charged with murder last September following a fatal shooting outside an Atlanta restaurant earlier that year, but is now in the clear.
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In a statement to WSB-TV, Zulu’s attorney, Gabe Banks, said: “Mr. Chaka Zulu, a beloved son of Atlanta, is pleased with the outcome of the thorough investigation conducted by District Attorney Fani Willis and her team of lawyers and investigators. From the beginning of this case, Mr. Zulu was committed to a fair process.
“He fully believes that after a thoughtful examination of all the facts and evidence related to this matter, District Attorney Willis made an appropriate and just decision. It is not lost on Mr. Zulu that there was a loss of life under extraordinary circumstances.
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“However, it is now time for Mr. Zulu to put this difficult process behind him and to focus on the support and nurturing of his family. Accordingly, we respectfully request privacy at this time.”
Benton’s family declared that they do not agree with the decision, saying through their attorney: “He should be held criminally responsible and he should have been formally charged for the death of their son.”
The District Attorney’s office outlined their reasoning through a spokesperson: “The Atlanta Police Department made an arrest on charges determined at a standard of probable cause, which is their duty in this and all cases The District Attorney’s office investigates cases to determine what can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
“Our investigation of the facts and analysis of applicable law indicates that this is an appropriate resolution of this case based on the standard of proof required. Because the defendant is now involved in a pre-indictment diversion program, we will not comment further about the matter at this time.”
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Chaka Zulu, who co-founded Disturbing Tha Peace with Ludacris, had claimed that he acted in self-defense, with a video of the incident later being made public.
The clip showed Zulu in an argument with another man, which quickly turned physical as four men began beating on the music manager.
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Zulu later got back to his feet and pulled out a gun, hitting Benton with at least one shot. In turn, Zulu was shot by another man, Corey Crawford. Benson later died of his injuries.
Zulu would then face a litany of charges, including murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and simple battery.
