Oakland rapper Zoe Tha Roasta has reached a $300,000 settlement with the city of Oakland, California, after a police office planted a gun on him, resulting in jail time.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, former Oakland police officer Ramon Alcantar planted a gun on Zoe as he was leaving a wake for his aunt in June of 2006.
The rapper claimed he was picked up by Alcantar, who put him in the back of his squad car and said "I found your gun."
Zoe, born Lorenzo Hall, began yelling and publicly protesting but was still charged with numerous weapons offenses.
He eventually spent 18 months in jail, before the charges were dropped in 2008.
"This was an important case for holding the police officers accountable for their misconduct," Zoe's attorney John Burris told The Chronicle. "Because Mr. Hall has a criminal record, the officers claimed a weapon found in a car was his when the evidence was clear that the gun belonged to someone else."
Zoe will receive $175,000 from the City of Oakland. The rest of the settlement will go to attorney fees.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, former Oakland police officer Ramon Alcantar planted a gun on Zoe as he was leaving a wake for his aunt in June of 2006.
The rapper claimed he was picked up by Alcantar, who put him in the back of his squad car and said "I found your gun."
Zoe, born Lorenzo Hall, began yelling and publicly protesting but was still charged with numerous weapons offenses.
He eventually spent 18 months in jail, before the charges were dropped in 2008.
"This was an important case for holding the police officers accountable for their misconduct," Zoe's attorney John Burris told The Chronicle. "Because Mr. Hall has a criminal record, the officers claimed a weapon found in a car was his when the evidence was clear that the gun belonged to someone else."
Zoe will receive $175,000 from the City of Oakland. The rest of the settlement will go to attorney fees.
