From Hollywood to Home: Black Voices in Entertainment
- Judge Alan Schneider granted Montero Hill entry into a two-year mental health diversion program; case will be dismissed if he complies with treatment and laws.
- Court found August arrest 'aberrant' and tied it to a subsequent bipolar disorder diagnosis supporting diversion eligibility.
- Hill voluntarily received nearly two months inpatient care at The Meadows and continues weekly therapy and quarterly psychiatric appointments.
- He told Rolling Stone he was 'thankful' and will continue treatment; progress hearing set for July 29, no in-person appearance required.
“Old Town Road” singer Lil Nas X is a significant step closer to putting his felony police battery case in the rearview mirror.
The Grammy-winning musician, born Montero Hill, appeared in a Los Angeles County courtroom Monday and was granted entry into a mental health diversion program. The judge found that his arrest last August, for allegedly battering three police officers, was “aberrant from his normal conduct.” The court determined the incident was linked to the artist’s subsequent diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and so long as he complies with his treatment plan and obeys all laws for the next two years, the case will be dismissed, Judge Alan Schneider said.
“When treated, he is much better off, and society is much better off,” the judge said, adding that Hill “appears to be doing very well.” The judge said Hill may not possess weapons or threaten any violence during the two-year program.
“I’m thankful. Just very thankful,” Hill told Rolling Stone outside the courtroom after the hearing. “It could have been much worse.”
As he left the courthouse, Hill, 26, said he was “just going through the flow of life.” Asked about his treatment, he added, “I’m here, baby.”
Hill’s defense lawyer, Christy O’Connor, told the court that Hill voluntarily checked himself into The Meadows treatment hospital in Arizona after his arrest and received nearly two months of inpatient care that was “absolutely successful.” He has since transitioned to what she described as a “pretty rigorous mental health regimen,” including weekly sessions with a psychotherapist and appointments with a psychiatrist every three months. She said the incident last summer was highly public and “humiliating,” and that Hill is committed to his ongoing care.
“Hopefully, I’ll never see you again, except on a stage,” Deputy District Attorney Jodi Taksar said to Hill as they walked out of the courtroom. The court set a progress report hearing for July 29, but Hill will not need to appear in person.
Hill was arrested after a passerby captured video of him walking in traffic in the predawn hours of Aug. 21, 2025. The “Panini” artist was wearing only his underwear and a pair of white cowboy boots. Prosecutors later claimed Hill, 26, was “strolling naked” along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City around 5:40 a.m. when police arrived.
Authorities claimed Hill assaulted responding officers who tried to take him into custody, injuring three of them. He was later charged with three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. Hill pleaded not guilty and faced up to five years in state prison if convicted as charged.
After he was booked and spent the weekend in jail, Hill called the incident “terrifying” in a social media post. “Your girl is gonna be OK, y’all,” the artist said in an Instagram video. “That was fucking terrifying. That was terrifying. That was a terrifying last four days. But your girl is gonna be all right.”
At a hearing in mid-September, Hill’s lawyers said he was “in treatment” at an out-of-state facility. Los Angeles County Judge Shellie Samuels sealed the details of the care he was receiving.
“You heard the ‘treatment’ word. We’re doing what is best for Montero from a personal standpoint and a professional standpoint, but most importantly, for his well-being,” Hill’s lawyer, Drew Findling, said after the September hearing. “He is surrounded by an amazing family, an amazing team of people that care about him and love him. And we’re just addressing those issues. It’s really as simple as that. He’s had a great life, and he’ll continue to have a great life. This is a bump that he’s going to get over.”
After a hearing last month, Hill said he was looking forward to resolving the case. “All I wanted to say is to my fans, I really love, and I miss you, and I appreciate your support so much, and I can’t wait to be back hugging you guys,” Hill said before blowing a kiss.
Before his arrest, Hill had shared unreleased music and mirror selfies on Instagram that sparked concern among fans. Police initially transported him to a nearby hospital for a possible overdose before taking him to jail.
Hill’s father, Robert Stafford, rushed to Los Angeles to support the rapper and later told London’s The Times that Hill had been dealing with “pressure” he placed on himself as an artist and as the “breadwinner” for multiple people.
“We all have breakdowns every now and then, but the difference is, yours get played out in the public eye when you’re a celebrity,” Stafford said. “Hopefully, this is a turning point.”
This article was originally published on Rolling Stone.
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