Tekashi 6ix9ine's rat turn was most damaging to his former Nine Trey bro Anthony "Harv" Ellison, who was convicted of kidnapping and robbing 6ix9ine after Tekashi testified against him.
Ellison's defense was that the 2018 kidnapping was done to promote 6ix9ine's new album and that Tekashi was in on it.
It wasn't an unreasonable argument, given all of the publicity-seeking shenanigans 6ix9ine engaged in. However, the jury didn't buy it.
Ellison is now appealing the verdict. In doing so he plans to expand that argument and claim that it was all fake.
In new filings, Ellison's legal team alleges that that 6ix9ine and Trippie Redd cooked up the beef between them, which included a violent confrontation in a Manhatten hotel lobby.
During trial, the government elicited testimony that Mr. Ellison was first hired as security after coming to the defense of Mr. Hernandez during a staged publicity "beef" between Hernandez and a rapper named Trippie Redd. The evidence was more than sufficient to establish that the "beef" between Hernandez and Redd was a publicity stunt. The two rappers made songs about one another. Moreover, Redd’s own manager sent Redd’s location to Hernandez ostensibly so that there could be some type of staged confrontation... After coming to Hernandez’ defense at the staged publicity event, Mr. Ellison became Hernandez’ bodyguard and part of Hernandez’ entourage.
Do you think this appeal strategy could work?