Prosecutors have dropped charges against Chaka Zulu, the longtime manager of Atlanta rapper Ludacris, after determining he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot another man outside his Buckhead restaurant in 2022.
A spokeswoman for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that all charges against Zulu have been dropped. Zulu, 53, faced counts of murder, aggravated assault, simple battery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the June 2022 shooting that killed 23-year-old Artez Jamil Benton.
“Our investigation of the facts and analysis of applicable law indicates that this is an appropriate resolution of this case based on the standard of proof required,” the DA’s office said in a statement. “Because the defendant is now involved in a pre-indictment diversion program, we will not comment further about the matter at this time.”
Attorneys for Zulu, whose full name is Ahmed Chaka Zulu Obafemi, have contended that he acted in self-defense since before he was arrested. Zulu was licensed to carry the gun he used and he was severely injured in the fight that preceded the shooting. He surrendered to authorities Sept. 13, 2022, at the Fulton jail and was released the same day on $200,000 bond.
“The Atlanta Police Department made an arrest on charges determined at a standard of probable cause, which is their duty in this and all cases. The District Attorney’s office investigates cases to determine what can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” a spokeswoman for the DA’s office said.
Gabe Banks, Zulu’s attorney, said his client was “pleased with the outcome of the thorough investigation conducted by” the DA’s office and that prosecutors “reached an appropriate and just decision.”
“It is not lost on Mr. Zulu that there was a loss of life under extraordinary circumstances,” Banks said.
Benton was a DeKalb County native who had recently graduated from college, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. He had begun an electrician apprenticeship and was a budding entrepreneur, family members said.
“He did everything right,” his father, Artis Benton, told the AJC after the shooting. “I never thought that this would be the end for him.”
About the Author
