Jun 20 - Cassidy Denied Bail, Booked Into Medium-Security Prison

After surrendering himself to authorities in Philadelphia on Friday, where he was wanted for murder, Cassidy spent the weekend in a medium-security prison, where it's expected he'll remain for the foreseeable future.

The rapper was denied bail — as is the case with all defendants accused of murder in Pennsylvania — at his arraignment on Saturday, where he was officially charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault and various weapons offenses (see "Cassidy Turns Himself In On Murder, Weapons Charges"). Cassidy (real name Barry Reese) did not enter a plea during his arraignment, and he won't be asked to until his case is brought to trial — which could be several months from now.

A spokesperson for the district attorney's office said it's likely Cassidy's detainment at Philadelphia's Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility will continue until, and throughout, his trial.

Like all new inmates at the facility, Cassidy underwent an admissions and diagnostics process that includes classification; orientation; medical examination; issuance of an inmate handbook, clothing and personal care items; and a social-service assessment.

At a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, it's expected that prosecutors will present whatever evidence they've collected against Cassidy to a judge, who will then rule on whether the state has enough to hold the rapper for trial; the prosecution could even call medical examiners and eyewitnesses in to provide pretrial testimony.

Police claim Cassidy and two other men, armed with .45 and .40 caliber handguns, 9 mm pistols, AK-47 assault rifles and 7.62 mm rifles, fired on three unarmed men during an argument behind a house in the rapper's northwest Philadelphia neighborhood, ki1ling one of them — 22-year-old Desmond Hawkins. The other two victims were treated at a hospital for gunshot wounds and released.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of one of the other alleged shooters. The identity of the third gunmen is not known.

Cassidy's second album, I'm a Hustla, is due June 28.

— Chris Harris

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