Pras Michel is currently battling accusations of working as a secret agent for the Chinese government, which could land the Fugees star several years behind bars. However, after a special hearing in the middle of the month, Pras Michel may have a glimmer of hope that a retrial is underway as he awaits sentencing.
In a new article from Vulture, it was revealed that Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly oversaw a three-day hearing for Pras Michel and his new legal team to present a series of questions to the rapper's former lawyer, David Kenner. Michel accuses Kenner of calling it while representing Michel, including an allegation that the attorney used artificial intelligence to write a closing statement.
Kenner, however, says he tried his best to get Michel cleared of the charges and even supported his former client's hopes of winning a retrial.
“I'm on Team Pras,” Kenner said on the witness stand during the hearing earlier this month. “I didn't think he should have been convicted. I hope he will be given the retrial he seeks.”
The hearing revealed that Kenner, 81, had hired a medical malpractice attorney to oversee the matter, but that the men refused to attend any of the trial events because they did not want to leave his pit bulls at home in Minneapolis. Instead, the lawyer told the store that his dogs are aggressive and said he could perform his duties from home.
The fact that the judge overseeing the matter called this hearing suggests there is some credence to Michel's new claims that Kenner did not properly represent his client and possibly violated his constitutional rights.
“He's a careful and smart and fair judge,” shared Paul Pelletier, a former Justice Department prosecutor. Vulture. “Convening this hearing was the right thing to do, given what he observed during the trial.”
Kenner found fame after defending Suge Knight, Snoop Dog and the late Tupac “2Pac” Shakur. Kenner managed to acquit Snoop Dogg of murder charges in 1996. It should be noted that in addition to Kenner's Hip-Hop credentials, he is a high-profile lawyer, but it seems his health and unorthodox methods were a bad cocktail for Michel and his legal needs.
Pras Michel is not out of the woods yet, as the judge is set to issue a ruling at a later date, but it is not immediately known which way the pendulum will swing.
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Photo: Tasos Katopodis / Getty
