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Freddie Gibbs Acquitted of Sexual Assault in Austria

Gibbs’s lawyer said in a statement that the rapper has been found not guilty.

Freddie Gibbs has this morning been acquitted on sexual assault charges by an Austrian court. The news emerged when his manager, Ben Lambert, first tweeted​ and then posted to Instagram​ about the decision.

Gibbs was arrested in France back in June after a European arrest warrant was issued for him. The incident was alleged to have occurred in Vienna, Austria in 2015. He was released in August on €50,000 ($56,000) bail. If found guilty, Gibbs could have faced up to 10 years in prison.

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Gibbs's lawyer, Theodore Simon, released a statement this morning on the acquittal. You can read that in full below.

"Today, September 30, 2016 Freddie Gibbs was found not guilty. We have always maintained unconditionally and without any doubt that Freddie would be and now has been fully exonerated and completely vindicated. We are pleased and thankful that the court recognized the same trust and confidence we and all of his fans have had in Freddie that justified and resulted in his absolute acquittal. Immediately after his acquittal I spoke with Freddie who expressed his deeply sincere, heartfelt gratitude and thanks to his fiancé Erica Dickerson for her unwavering support, for the steadfast and incomparable loyalty of his long time friend and manager Ben "Lambo" Lambert, for the extraordinary work and effort of his lawyers and for the overwhelming outpouring of love he has received from his fans. He says, "Thank you!"

"While we are appreciative of the verdict of not guilty, nothing has changed. The actual facts have always demonstrated that Freddie was and is 100% innocent. It is now self-evident he was wrongly accused. The trial has confirmed our belief that after a searching and complete investigation and trial the true and actual facts would be revealed - that there always was an absence of any scientific, physical, or credible evidence that would warrant in any way such an accusation. Freddie and his family look forward to returning to the States so he can resume his life and career."

​Lead photo via Freddie Gibbs on Instagram.​

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