LATEST: Las Vegas authorities have defended the issue of a warrant for the arrest of rapper/actor MOS DEF three months after an alleged attack - insisting they needed time to fully investigate the case before questioning the star. Two warrants were issued for the star, real name Dante Smith, on Tuesday (04Nov08) in connection to a clash with a fashion photographer in August (08). Mos Def faces charges of felony robbery and malicious destruction of private property after photographer Volker Corell claimed the rap star ripped a camera from his neck, smashed it to the ground and then took off with it.
But local police have been under pressure to justify the long delay. Public Information Officer Ramon Denby explains, "The initial report was taken by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Authority. By the time we arrived, the property, which in this case was a Nikon camera, had been returned. Detectives then took statements from witnesses and spoke to the victim and proceeded to gather the necessary evidence to turn the case over to the District Attorney's office.
"We have to have a certain amount of evidence to present a case to the D.A.'s office, who then makes the determination to move forward. "This was just a standard investigating time." Mos Def is currently touring in Europe and authorities are awaiting his lawyers getting in touch to organise a self surrender upon his return, reports AllHipHop.com.
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