ATLANTA, GA (CelebrityAccess) — Henry County prosecutors have dropped a charge of simple assault against the Atlanta-based rapper T.I. but he’s headed to trial over charges of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct after an altercation in May.
T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr. was arrested on May 16th after getting into a dispute with Euwan James, a security guard in the gated Eagle’s Landing community where T.I. lives.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the incident occurred after James initially refused to let T.I. into the community when the rapper returned without his key. James eventually let T.I. enter but when the rapper returned to get the name of the guard’s supervisor, the encounter allegedly devolved into an altercation.
T.I was accused of being intoxicated when he confronted James and of using “vulgar, profane, loud and unbecoming language” which led to prosecutors charging T.I. with three counts of disorderly conduct.
The simple assault charge, which alleged T.I. made verbal threats against the guard, was dismissed
In a motion to dismiss, T.I.’s attorney successfully argued that the rapper’s words to the guard constitute expressive conduct, not an actual threat of a fight, the AJC reported.
A jury trial is set to begin Feb. 4.
