6ix9ine Battles To Keep Lawyer On Case Amid Co-Defendants Concerns: Report

The judge presiding over the case is concerned over a possible conflict of interest.

BYAron A.
Link Copied to Clipboard!
19.5K Views
Bob Levey/Getty Images

Tekashi 6ix9ine may have copped a plea deal in his federal case but the legal battle is far from over. The Blast obtained court documents that reveal the rapper's co-defendants, Shotti and Crippy, made a case to the judge explaining why they don't want Lance Lazzaro acting as 6ix9ine's legal representation. The judge previously asked them if it would cause a conflict of interest since Lazarro represented both Shotti and Crippy in the past.

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images 

Despite Crippy and Shotti's attempt to have Lazzaro removed, 6ix9ine also sent a letter to the judge petitioning to keep the lawyer on board for his case. 6ix9ine has a deadline of March to file an official opposition to the removal of Lazzaro.

Lazzaro has previously denied that there's any conflict of interest but that's caused concern for the judge. Prosecutors have noted the time overlap between the time Lazzaro represented Shotti and Crippy and representing 6ix9ine.

Crippy and Shotti expressed concern with Lazzaro representing 6ix9ine due to the fact that the lawyer would be able to use "privileged information" against them in order to keep Tekashi 6ix9ine out of prison.

The rapper is currently aiming to keep Lazzaro on the case as he attempts to have his sentence reduced significantly. For the time being, Lazzaro isn't allowed to work on this case until the court comes to a conclusion. 

As previously reported, the rapper copped a guilty plea for all nine counts and agreed to fully cooperate with authorities for a lighter sentence.


  • Link Copied to Clipboard!
About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.