'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)' rapper Silentó sentenced to 30 years in cousin's murder, lawyer speaks out
The rapper Silentó, known for his viral hit "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in the 2021 shooting death of his cousin.
Ricky Lamar Hawk, 27, who performs as Silentó, entered the plea on Wednesday for charges including voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and concealing the death of another, according to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.
"This was not a crime of passion or a crime of a morally depraved person. He was mentally ill," Hawk's attorney, Keith Adams, told ABC News. "Unfortunately, Ricky's mental illness has been an issue since the age of 12, even during his success as an artist and beyond."
The charges stem from the Jan. 21, 2021, shooting of Frederick Rooks III, 34, who was found with multiple gunshot wounds at the intersection of Deep Shoals Circle and Corners Crossing in the Panthersville area of unincorporated Decatur, Georgia.
According to police, several neighbors reported hearing gunshots, and security footage captured a white BMW SUV fleeing the scene.
Authorities say a family member shared that Hawk had picked up Rooks in the same BMW SUV from a friend's home shortly before the incident. Police later matched bullet casings from the scene to a gun found in Hawk's possession, and GPS data placed his vehicle at the location of the shooting, the DeKalb County Police Department said.
"The benefit of him pleading to voluntary manslaughter is that it makes him eligible for parole sometime within the next decade or so," Adams explained. "If he had been convicted of murder, he would not have been eligible for parole for at least 30 years."
Due to the nature of his plea, Hawk will likely be placed in a facility equipped to address his mental health needs.
"His plea of guilty but mentally ill acknowledges his mental illness, and it instructs the Department of Corrections to place him not in a regular prison, but in a facility that will treat his mental illness," Adams said.
Hawk will be transferred to the Georgia Diagnostic Center in Jackson, Georgia, located about an hour outside Atlanta, where all state prisoners undergo initial processing. According to Adams, officials there will determine his permanent placement among the state's specialized mental health facilities.
"I'm hoping that he won't be at the Diagnostic Center for too long, because they're already familiar with his mental health issues," Adams said. "I expect within the next month to two months, he'll be placed where he's supposed to be."
Adams expressed hope for his client's future.
"No one is beyond redemption... I think he has an opportunity to come out and resume his position as a productive member of society, while properly being treated for his mental health."
