DaBaby’s Self-Defense Claim in 2018 Killing

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25th Apr, 2022. 04:43 pm
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Synopsis

A new video obtained by Rolling Stone calls into question notorious rapper DaBaby's self-claim that he shot and killed a teenager in self-defense in 2018.

A new video obtained by Rolling Stone calls into question notorious rapper DaBaby’s self-claim that he shot and killed a teenager in self-defense in 2018.

Jonathan Kirk, the artist’s real name, was involved in a tragic confrontation that culminated in the death of Jaylin Craig, a 19-year-old woman. The accusations against Kirk, however, were dropped in March 2019 after a crucial witness failed to appear in court.

Rolling Stone shared a previously unseen video recording of the event on November 5, 2018, at a Walmart in North Carolina, on Sunday.

Jonathan “DaBaby” Kirk, Henry Douglas, and Craig, all teens, are shown fighting in the video. Kirk appeared to have begun the fight by storming at Douglas.

Kirk goes at Douglas, tackles him, and strikes him at one point, as Craig stands off to the side.

Craig then appears to take a gun from his pocket, though it is unclear whether he puts it away. Kirk then pulls out his rifle and fires several rounds.

Kirk’s account of events depicted the encounter in a different light. In a 2018 social media video, he said that he was confronted by gun-wielding guys who threatened him, his daughter, and his son.

DaBaby said, “Daughter could have got hit, son could have got hit [and] me,”

“F****n’ lawyers telling me not to say something and shit, fuck all that. Two n—– walk down on you and your whole motherfucking family, threaten y’all, whip out on y’all, n—-, let me see what y’all gon’ do.”

Rolling Stone spoke to Todd Owens, a defense lawyer, and former North Carolina district court judge, who said that what was seen in the video does weaken Kirk’s claim that he was in danger.

Owens said, “Going up and pushing a person who is brandishing a firearm, or who she can see has a firearm is really, really risky business,”

“That completely undermines that legal theory.”

Despite Kirk appeared to be the one who began the brawl, legal analyst Emily Baker told Rolling Stone that the case might not be so clear-cut because witnesses claimed to have seen Craig with a gun.

“It is not a ‘These people rolled up on me and tried to roll me, and I had to defend myself,'” Baker told Rolling Stone. “That’s not what this video shows. This video shows a fight that got way out of hand very fast, and that resulted in somebody dying.”

A statement from the district attorney’s office was also published by Rolling Stone, which stated that the investigation was ongoing, “reviewed the police investigative file” and agreed with police not to charge Mr. Kirk further. This was due to the fact that prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense.”

Insider reached out to the rapper’s representatives for comment, but they did not immediately answer.

DaBaby’s Self-Defense Claim in 2018 Killing

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