Chief Keef Taken Into Custody On Probation Violation

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 15, 2013 10:30PM

A Cook County Judge ordered teen rapper Chief Keef be taken into custody after he ruled a New York gun range he visited last year violated his parole. Judge Carl Anthony Walker said the gun range visit, which was recorded by music website Pitchfork as part of a video interview, showed "willful disregard" of the court. (But the same could be said of any of Keef's—real name, Keith Cozart—actions in the past year.) Walker ruled the gun range visit was the same as if Cozart kept a gun in his house while on probation. Cozart's attorneys argued the gun range visit was a promotional stunt on private property.

Cozart was sentenced to 18 months probation in January 2012 for pointing a gun at Chicago police in December 2011. DNAInfo Chicago's Mark Konkol revealed the details of that incident.

Just before noon on Dec. 2, 2011, police responded to a call of shots fired in the 6100 block of South Indiana.

Officers spotted Chief Keef, whose real name is Keith Cozart, walking out the front door of his grandmother’s apartment building in the 6100 block of South Michigan, holding a coat over his hands that were in front of his waistband, according to police reports obtained by DNAinfo.com.

When a police officer tried to stop and question Chief Keef, the rapper dropped the coat, flashed a blue-steel handgun and sprinted through the vacant lot next door, according to police reports.

When officers gave chase, Chief Keef — who was 16 at the time — twice turned and pointed the pistol at the officers, according to the police report. The officers “discharged their weapons” but missed, according to the police account.

Chief Keef made it about a half-block before officers nabbed him in the alley of the 6100 block of South Indiana, according to the report.

Cozart was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm on a police officer, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and misdemeanor resisting arrest. He was charged in January 2011 with manufacture and delivery of heroin near a school, public housing building or park.

Prosecutors sought raw video of Cozart's visit to the gun range, arguing it violated his probation. Pitchfork stated the video was the video was protected under the Illinois Reporter’s Privilege Act. Walker ruled the video be handed over.

Prosecutors also sought to have a Cozart taken into custody after claiming he moved to Northbrook in December, which would have been another violation of his probation. Walker ruled there was no "credible evidence" Cozart moved to Northbrook.