Lil Nas X is seeking a diversion for his felony police battery case following his arrest back in August 2025. The charges stem from an incident where he allegedly assaulted a police officer while acting erratically.
The 26-year-old “MONTERO” singer appeared in court in Van Nuys, Calif. on Thursday, March 12 with his lawyer Christy O’Connor. His legal team asked a judge for a short delay to allow them to file a motion to transfer his case to an unspecified diversion program, Rolling Stone reports.
A diversion program is a pretrial agreement that generally consists of rehabilitation, community service, or counseling in exchange for a defendant avoiding immediate prosecution, a formal felony conviction, or jail time. The judge ordered Lil Nas X to return to court on Monday, April 6.
"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," Lil Nas X, 26, said to reporters outside the courthouse.
The “Old Town Road” rapper was arrested on Aug. 21, 2025, after he was seen on video walking in traffic on Ventura Boulevard wearing only his underwear. Prosecutors claim that Lil Nas X assaulted three police officers who were trying to take him into custody.
He pleaded not guilty to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. He faces up to five years in state prison if convicted.
Following his arrest and spending the weekend in jail, Lil Nas X told fans the experience was “terrifying” in a social media post. Soon after, he traveled out of state to receive treatment at an undisclosed facility in September.
Lil Nas X’s father, Robert Stafford, said that his struggles that led to his arrest were due in large part to financial pressure and family issues.
”For a 26-year-old to have to deal with what he's dealing with — to be a breadwinner for a lot of people, the inability to change his mother's situation, and the pressure he puts on himself…That can weigh heavily on your heart,” he said.
