Flavor Flav on Trial: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Rapper Flavor Flav is facing accusations from his girlfriend’s son, who claims Flav threatened him with a butcher knife. Now the Public Enemy icon will have to stand trial on two felonies, according to USA Today. Here are some quick facts you need to know about the case.

1. The Rapper Was Arrested in October After a Wild Domestic Incident

Flav, whose legal name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr., was arrested on October 17, 2012, in Las Vegas on charges including attacking his girlfriend, Elizabeth Trujillo, and her son. Flavor Flav was accused of pushing his girlfriend to the floor in a heated argument between the two in their Vegas home, TMZ reported. The 54-year-old also faced assault charges for chasing and threatening the girlfriend’s teenage son with a butcher’s knife.

2. The Case Will Force Him to Miss the Hall of Fame Induction

Flavor Flav will appear in court next Thursday, April 18, for the formal charges of assault with a weapon and child endangerment. His defense attorney, Tony Abbatangelo, asked the court to seek a postponement for the trial in order for the rapper to attend with his crew Public Enemy’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which falls on April 18.

3. He’s Facing 12 Years of Hard Time

The reality TV star will plead not guilty but may face up to 12 years in prison if he gets convicted. Justice of the Peace Melanie Andress-Tobiasson said that the evidence was enough to put the rapper on trial in front of the state court.

4. The Boy is 6 Feet Tall; the Diminutive Flav Claims Self-Defense

Flav was scheduled to appear in court in Las Vegas for an evidence hearing last week but never showed up. The boy who was allegedly attacked by the rapper did appear in court at the time. The boy identified Flavor Flav as the one who chased him into the bedroom and stabbed a knife through the door, according to the New York Daily News. He said that after witnessing the argument between his mother and Flavor Flav, the 6-foot teen came in and had a tussle with the rapper to protect his mother. Flav claims he was acting in self-defense when he grabbed the knife during the fight.

5. He Could Miss the Tour

Flav may miss much of Public Enemy’s new tour, which kicks off next Tuesday, April 16, in L.A. The tour would include trips across the US and Europe with three dates in the UK a week later after the US tour.