Canadian prosecutors refused to proceed with a murder trial against Top 5, a Toronto rapper with alleged ties to Drake. The case fell apart once a judge blocked the prosecution from using key evidence from Top 5’s social media accounts.
“It became clear crucial evidence has been excluded,” prosecutor Sue Adams said, per the Toronto Star.
Top 5, whose real name is Hassan Ali, was facing trial for the 2021 murder of accounting student Hashim Hashi. Top 5 walked free from court on Monday (September 23).
“I feel like Shohei Ohtani!” he told reporters. “I feel like a baseball player, a superstar.”
Last week, Judge Andras Schreck determined social media-related evidence in the case was too prejudicial. The judge said the evidence “portrays Mr. Ali as a violent gang member with little regard for human life and who revels in the senseless killing of others. The risk that a jury will misuse this evidence and convict Mr. Ali because of his disposition is significant.”
Top 5’s social media posts showed him threatening and celebrating the deaths of gang members in the area where Hashi was killed. Prosecutors claimed Hashi was an innocent bystander shot in a feud between Top 5’s Go Getem Gang and Falstaff Marke Gang.
Hashi was shot and killed on the Falstaff Marke Gang’s turf. Prosecutors accused Top 5 and unidentified suspects of looking for someone to kill in the area. Top 5 was allegedly in the backseat of a car with the unknown shooter and driver.
Top 5 denied any gang ties. He insisted GGG was his record label, not a gang.
“I think the evidence against Hassan was entirely circumstantial,” his attorney Gary Grill said. “The case against him was not strong at all.”
Top 5 was previously accused of being Drake’s “shooter.” A defense attorney implicated Top 5 and Drake in the XXXTentacion murder case.
Three men with no connections to Top 5 and Drake were sentenced to life in prison for XXXTentacion’s murder. A fourth defendant received a reduced sentence thanks to a plea deal.