Lil Nas X is seeking a path that could potentially help him avoid jail time.
On Thursday, March 12, the 26-year-old Grammy-winning artist, born Montero Hill III, appeared at a courthouse in Van Nuys, Calif., alongside his lawyer, Christy O’Connor, who proposed delaying the pretrial process so she could file a motion to have the singer’s felony police battery case transferred into a diversion program, Rolling Stone magazine reported.
Pre-trial Diversion programs are alternatives in which a defendant may opt to enter rehab or a similar program in hopes of avoiding a conviction and any potential time behind bars.
His lawyer is also waiting for a report from an “expert” to support the argument that this path may be the best way forward. A Los Angeles County judge, who granted the brief delay, ordered them back in court on April 6.
This legal saga for the “Old Town Road” singer began on August 21, 2025, when he was arrested after being found walking along Ventura Boulevard in the wee hours barely clothed and appearing disoriented while interacting with authorities. He was arrested and charged with three counts of battery against a police officer, who alleged he lunged at and punched one of them, along with one count of resisting an executive officer.
He was hospitalized briefly after the incident on suspicion of a possible drug overdose before later being booked into the Van Nuys Jail. On Aug. 25, 2025, he was released on $75,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the charges and spent the following months in inpatient treatment, missing a scheduled September pretrial hearing while in the program, before returning to Los Angeles Superior Court on Nov. 17, 2025, where a judge allowed the case to proceed following his completion of treatment.
Outside the courthouse following Thursday’s hearing, the “Old Town Road” singer addressed a crowd of reporters.
“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. “You guys, have a good day.”
