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Shortly after formally renouncing his ties to the Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods gang, incarcerated Brooklyn-bred rapper Casanova was reportedly attacked by a fellow inmate.
According to internal reports obtained by NBC New York, Casanova was attacked at the Essex County Correctional Facility on Thursday (Jun. 15).
Specifically, Sarah Wallace of NBC’s I-Team reports that correctional officers cited Casanova as being “slashed with a weapon by another inmate” named Ulysses Lugo.
However, the rapper was reportedly able to gain the upper hand and is accused of retaliating against his attacker with the help of others. According to one responding officer, Lugo was ultimately left bloodied by the ordeal.
“Inmate Lugo, you couldn’t see his face because he was saturated in blood… His whole face was saturated in blood, and his whole uniform was saturated in blood.”
As for Casanova, the officer says he was “sitting there, and blood was just coming out of his face.”
Despite this harrowing account, Anthony Puglisi — an Essex County spokesperson — merely declared, “This minor incident and whether weapons were employed is under investigation.”
Casanova was attacked shortly after word broke about him renouncing his gang ties in a letter to Judge Philip Halpern.
All Hip Hop shared the news after acquiring the letter, and Casanova reportedly made his proclamation while pleading for leniency. After all, he’s facing a maximum of 60 years behind bars.
In fact, the “So Brooklyn” rapper declared, “I don’t need to associate myself with a gang to succeed.”
“I am telling you and anyone that will listen that I wanted out before I was arrested and I am out. I learned through my music career that people will listen and that I don’t need to associate myself with a gang to succeed. I don’t need to associate with a gang even if I don’t succeed.”
Later, Casanova acknowledged that he’s “not a man [who] anyone needs to worry about in the future.” He was sure to also note that he’s “sorry for [his] past.”
“I am sorry for my past… I’m not asking you to ignore the bad. There is plenty of it. I’m asking you to see the other side that was finally starting to shine. I am not who the government wants you to believe I am and I am not a man you or anyone needs to worry about in the future.”
There are no further updates on the matter, and the rapper is set to be sentenced on Jun. 27.
