A Louisiana judge slightly altered the terms of NBA YoungBoy’s house arrest in a ruling on Monday (December 18). According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Judge Shelly Dick eased restrictions on the 24-year-old rapper’s ability to seek help for his mental health.
Judge Dick rejected the Motown Records artist’s request for more freedom to travel to recording studios and film music videos. NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, remains on house arrest in Utah awaiting a federal gun trial in his home state of Louisiana.
“The Court finds that Condition No. 13 shall be amended to allow Gaulden to attend medical appointments specifically approved in advance by Mr. Gaulden’s pretrial supervision officer,” Judge Dick wrote. “This will allow Gaulden to participate in mental health programs and social services programming offered through Pretrial Services. However, the Court further finds that Gaulden has failed to show good cause for amending Condition No. 13 to provide for an employment-related modification.”
YoungBoy’s lawyers filed a motion to modify the conditions of his pretrial release in November. Prosecutors objected, citing the vagueness of his request regarding “employment-related activities.” Judge Dick raised similar concerns in her ruling.
“The conditions imposed on Gaulden’s pretrial release are designed to reasonably assure the safety of both Gaulden and others,” the judge wrote. “Gaulden states he ‘does not want to burden this Honorable Court with each employment-related request,’ but given the vague bounds of the request, and in light of the history of violence aimed at Gaulden and those around him, the Court is more troubled by the threat that the proposed modification imposes on Gaulden’s safety. Gaulden can continue to seek Court-approval of such activities until the trial of this matter begins on the date recently chosen by the parties.”
YoungBoy’s federal case stems from his 2020 arrest in Louisiana. He was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. His trial is scheduled to begin in July 2024.
