A Cook County judge ruled today that South Side rapper Chief Keef could remain free despite new allegations he violated his juvenile probation by moving to Northbrook without telling authorities.
Prosecutors asked Juvenile Court Judge Carl Anthony Walker to have the 17-year-old emerging rap star, whose real name is Keith Cozart, locked up pending a full hearing later this month.
But after hearing testimony from Cozart's probation officer, the judge said he had not been presented "any credible evidence" that the teen had moved from his Dolton home.
Cozart's attorney said the rapper was spending a lot of time recording songs in the Northbrook home of his manager, where they have set up a studio.
Prosecutors said that in addition to failing to tell his probation officer of his change in address, Cozart had not been heard from since his debut album "Finally Rich" went on sale on Dec. 18.
Several attempts by authorities to contact Cozart by phone were unsuccessful, so officials went to the Dolton home where Cozart was supposed to be living with his grandmother, but he was not there, Assistant State's Atty. Jullian Brevard said.
Cozart appeared in court today in a black coat with a fur-lined hood and tan jeans. Accompanied by two managers and several family members, the lanky teen held his arms in the air on the way out of the Near West Side courthouse and exclaimed, "Why they got a problem with my address?"
The court appearance was the latest legal trouble for Cozart, who is on probation after a juvenile conviction for pointing a gun at a police officer.
Last year, prosecutors alleged he violated his probation by taking part in a video interview at a gun range in New York during which he reportedly is shown holding a rifle.
Chicago police have been looking into whether Chief Keef and his allies played a role in the Sept. 4 slaying of aspiring rapper Lil Jojo.
The slaying garnered national attention after Chief Keef sent a taunting tweet about the slain 18-year-old, whose real name was Joseph Coleman, hours after the killing. Chief Keef received mostly negative feedback from his more than 200,000 Twitter followers before he claimed his account had been hacked.
Walker set a formal hearing on the probation violation allegations for Jan. 28.
jmeisner@tribune.com
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