French Rapper MHD Charged With Voluntary Manslaughter
French rapper MHD (born: Mohamed Sylla) has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in Paris, The Guardian and French news agency Agence France-Press report. Sylla was arrested on Tuesday, January 15, in connection with the July 2018 killing of a 23-year-old man identified as Loïc K. According to the AFP, the man died during a fight between gangs from Paris’ 10th and 19th arrondissements. Sylla’s car was reportedly spotted at the scene. Three other men were charged alongside Sylla.
In a statement to the AFP, Mohamed Sylla’s lawyer said that her client “denies any involvement in this brawl,” adding, “His presence at the scene of the incident remains to be proven.” She also said that the car was used by different “individuals identified by investigators as the perpetrators of the deadly attack,” and that Sylla contacted investigators “as soon as he became aware” that the car was involved. The lawyer added that Sylla has “never been involved in conflicts between rival gangs.”
MHD released his second album 19 last year. The title comes from Paris’ 19th arrondissement where Mohamed Sylla grew up.
Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for MHD.
