Lil Nas X assault case to be dismissed if he completes mental health programme

Lil Nas X assault case to be dismissed if he completes mental health programme8 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMax MatzaGetty ImagesLil Nas X, whose given name is Montero Hill, flashed a thumbs up to reporters after the hearingA judge in California has granted rapper Lil Nas X entry into a mental health diversion programme after he was arrested for attacking police officers while wandering nearly naked through the streets of Los Angeles in August 2025.In a hearing on Monday, the judge told the Grammy-winning artist (real name Montero Lamar Hill) that the charges may be quashed if he completes the programme and obeys all laws for the next two years."I'm thankful. Just very thankful," Hill told Rolling Stone after the hearing. "It could have been much worse."Hill was arrested late at night on Ventura Boulevard in his underpants and cowboy boots. He was charged with attacking a police officer and resisting arrest.He was also taken to hospital due to concerns about a possible overdose. His felony charges mean that he is facing up to five years in prison if found guilty, and if he fails to complete the judge-ordered treatment.He pleaded not guilty to the charges last year. The Old Town Road rapper was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after the incident.Judge Alan Schneider said during Monday's hearing that his behaviour when he was arrested was "aberrant from his normal conduct", his lawyer Christy O'Connor told BBC News after the hearing.The judge added that he "appears to be doing very well" and that "when treated, he is much better off, and society is much better off".He then granted Hill's request to enter into a treatment programme, his lawyer added.Diversion programmes are initiatives that allow alternatives like treatment for people with mental illness who are caught up in the criminal justice system. His defence lawyer told the court that after his arrest, Hill spent two months in...