Instagram Bobby Shmurda
On August 4, Bobby Shmurda’s name began trending on social media as people speculated whether he might be released from prison. Shmurda, whose real name is Ackquille Pollard, was arrested in December 2014 and in 2016 he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in a plea deal that would see him serve seven years. In exchange, prosecutors dropped other charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, TMZ reported.
The rapper, who turned 26 on August 4, has a parole hearing in August 2020, public records show. He is still listed on the parole board interview calendar for August but no dates have been provided for interviews, which could be due to a backlog from COVID-19. His inmate record indicates that he is still eligible for release only on December 11, 2020. He is serving his sentence in Clinton Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison for men located in northern New York state.
Update: The Shade Room reported that Shmurda’s mother confirmed his hearing isn’t happening for another two weeks as it’s set for August 18.
A Countdown Clock on His Website Leading to August 4 Turned Out to Be Fake
One of the reasons many believed Shmurda’s case would move forward today is due to a cryptic countdown clock that was posted to his website a few weeks ago, which counted down to August 4. The website turned out to be fake, however, as Urban Islandz reported. Sources on his team told the outlet that his prison release date has not yet been determined and he has no new music pending.
The fake website now reads that the cryptic countdown was done as a “joke because we are fans of Bobby.” It says, “We’ve received thousands of emails supporting us knowing we had nothing to do with Bobby so thank you! And for the ones we’ve pissed off, forgive us this wasn’t the purpose. We’ve reached 75M people in 48 hours. Oh and HBD to Bobby!”
According to the New York State parole handbook, after a parole hearing interview, it takes a few days for an inmate to receive the decision. If someone is granted release, they will then receive an “open date” or a specific release date to prepare for, which includes providing an approved residence and an employment program. Therefore, the parole hearing date does not usually translate into an actual release date for an inmate.
Many Fans Took to Twitter on August 4 to Wish Shmurda a Happy Birthday & Express Excitement at His Possible Release
A recent report by TMZ indicated that Shmurda was preparing for his parole hearing and was planning to drop new music after his release from prison. The outlet said it spoke to Shmurda’s mother, Leslie Pollard, who said he’s planning to make a “documentary about his life, which he hopes will also be used as an educational tool for troubled youth.” She also said he’d been doing “a lot of writing” while in prison.
His fans took to social media on August 4 to share their excitement at rumors of his upcoming release and to wish the rapper a happy birthday.
Bobby shmurda’s hat spotted returning to earth after a 6 year orbit.
One fan wrote, “Bobby Shmurda has been in prison for 2,057 days. 5 years and 7 months… August 4, 2020 is his conditional release date, pending a parole hearing. August 4 is also his birthday – he turns 26 today! I think he’s coming to save 2020…”
YouTuber Troydan wrote: “Bobby Shmurda is getting released from the penitentiary tomorrow to save 2020.”
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