Drake avoids deposition in XXXTentacion murder trial

Drake will not be deposed by defense attorneys in connection to slain rapper XXXTentacion’s murder trial, according to reports.

The defense lawyers for the three men accused of murdering XXXTentacion floated the possibility that superstar Drake might have actually been behind the 2018 slaying as the two rappers had a public feud.

Court documents showed that Drake — whose real name is Aubrey Graham — was ordered to appear virtually to answer questions in Broward County Court on Feb. 24. However, Judge Michael A. Usan approved a motion by Drake’s attorneys on Sunday to toss the order, TMZ first reported.

Prosecutors said there is no evidence linking Drake to the killing. Drake’s lawyers argued that pulling him into the case without any evidence is “unreasonable and oppressive,” and the judge agreed, according to Billboard.

Suspects Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome and Dedrick Williams are charged with killing XXXTentacion outside a Florida motorcycle store in what prosecutors alleged was a botched robbery that escalated to murder. Each suspect is facing a first-degree murder charge.

The legal team for the three defendants had argued that investigators did not probe XXXTentacion’s public feud with Drake in the aftermath of the 20-year-old’s untimely death. 

The rapper, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy, once posted on social media that “If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi,” referring to Drake by his Instagram name. He later deleted the post.

Boatwright, Trayvon and Williams are accused of going to Riva Motorsports on June 18, 2018, to purchase masks to be used in future armed robberies, but decided to target XXXTentacion when they spotted him inside the store, prosecutor Pascale Achille said in court.

When the rapper left the store, prosecutors said Williams cut off the sports car with his SUV as Boatwright and Newsome rushed XXXTentacion’s car to rob him. They grabbed $50,000 in cash and a Louis Vuitton bag before Boatwright allegedly shot him several times, killing him.

Robert Allen, a fourth man implicated in the rapper’s death, took a plea deal and is expected to testify against the other three during the trial, Achille said during her opening statements.

Boatwright, 28, Williams, 26, and Newsome, 24, are facing life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. They also face robbery charges. Allen, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year.