OAKLAND — A local rapper has finalized his plea deal that saw the dismissal of homicide-related charges in exchange for pleading no contest to a single count of illegal gun possession.
Michai Adams, also known as ChaiBenjii4, was sent to North Kern State Prison on Feb. 5 after a judge finalized the plea deal. He was sentenced to two years, with credit for 420 days of time served in jail, and is set to be released this summer, court records show.
For Adams, it was a stark turnaround in a case that started with the possibility of a life sentence. He was arrested last year, two months after prosecutors charged him with murder in a wild Sept. 7, 2024 shootout near an Oakland market. Lamar Payne, 50 was killed during the exchange of gunfire between three people.
The killing was so chaotic, prosecutors have struggled to make charges stick. A judge seemed persuaded by a self-defense argument made by the lawyer for Adams’ co-defendant, Keyante Reed, and released Reed from jail in early 2025. Prosecutors then offered Adams the plea deal and murder dismissal last December, records show.
Reeds legal troubles have only gotten worse. He was allegedly involved in a second shootout near the same market, this time on Sept. 9, 2025, but avoided criminal charges and remained out of custody. Then, on Sept. 19, Reed allegedly shot and killed Markesse Owens in Stanislaus County, authorities said. He remains a fugitive with now two pending murder cases.
At Reed’s preliminary hearing, the defense argued that Reed had witnessed a heavily intoxicated Payne pull a gun on Reed’s close friend in a robbery, and that Reed saved his friend’s life by drawing Payne’s attention. The two exchanged gunfire, prompting a third person on the scene to join in the shootout with Reed, the defense said in court filings. Police identified Adams as the third gunman.
As a musician, Adams’ YouTube account has received 1.6 million views, despite him only putting out five songs on it. Adams also has two prior felony convictions, for evading police and assault with a deadly weapon, which make it illegal for him to have guns, records show. Oakland police say Reed is part of an Oakland-based gang and was with a fellow member at the time of the shootout.
Hence then, the article about oakland rapper chaibenjii4 sent to prison after beating murder charge was published today ( ) and is available on mercury news ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Oakland rapper ChaiBenjii4 sent to prison after beating murder charge )
Also on site :
- Police called to multiple central Ohio schools after alleged bomb threats
- Doctors Are Seeing a Bizarre New COVID Symptom Right Now
- 3 questions every CEO needs to ask about the AI jobs doom loop in the wake of Jack Dorsey’s dramatic 40% layoffs at Block