Miami rapper Kevhani Hicks, better known by her stage name Key Vhani, is back in court fighting to get a murder case against her thrown out—and her entire defense is now centered around Florida’s controversial Stand Your Ground law.
Hicks, 29, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the October 2023 shooting death of Omar Demetrie Harris in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.
There is no major dispute over whether Hicks fired the gun. She has acknowledged shooting Harris.
The battle in court is over why she fired and what happened in the moments leading up to the deadly gunfire.
Hicks’ attorneys argue that she was defending herself after Harris and her manager, Nathan Smith, allegedly attacked her and forced her to the ground. According to the defense, Hicks believed she was in serious danger and feared Harris would kill her.
Prosecutors, however, are presenting a much different version of the chaotic encounter. They argue that Hicks had already escaped the physical confrontation when she pulled out her gun and opened fire, and that she continued shooting while Harris was attempting to get away.
The case dates back to October 2023, when Hicks, Smith and Harris were together in Miami. Smith had reportedly invited Harris, another artist, to join them while Hicks and her manager were out networking and promoting her music. Hicks and Harris had reportedly never met before that night.
According to testimony and evidence discussed in court, tensions eventually boiled over after the group arrived in Wynwood.
Surveillance video shown during the proceedings captured portions of the confrontation. Prosecutors say Hicks became involved in a physical altercation with Smith before Harris joined the confrontation. The state alleges Hicks was eventually pinned to the ground by the two men.
The defense maintains that Hicks was attacked and restrained, leaving her terrified for her safety.
Hicks has also said Harris threatened to kill her. She told investigators that she believed Harris was still behind her when she reached into her purse and grabbed a gun.
That is where prosecutors say the story takes a dramatic turn.
The state argues that Harris had already turned away from Hicks and was attempting to leave when she pulled the firearm from her purse. Prosecutors contend Hicks then opened fire and continued shooting as Harris ran away and eventually fell to the ground.
Court testimony has described Harris attempting to crawl away after being shot.
Prosecutors have argued that the surveillance footage contradicts Hicks’ account of what she believed was happening at the moment she fired.
Authorities recovered 10 spent 9mm shell casings at the scene, while Harris suffered three gunshot wounds. Two of those wounds were fatal, according to testimony from the medical examiner. Prosecutors have also pointed out that no weapon was recovered from Harris.
But there was another shocking part of the incident.
After the shooting, Hicks was struck by Smith’s vehicle.
According to testimony, Smith said he was trying to position the vehicle between Hicks and Harris when the car struck Hicks. She suffered injuries including road rash, blunt-force trauma and broken ribs.
The defense is now asking the court to apply Florida’s Stand Your Ground protections to Hicks’ case. If successful, the defense could potentially prevent the murder prosecution from moving forward.
Prosecutors oppose that effort and maintain that the evidence does not support Hicks’ claim that she was legally justified in using deadly force.
The court has already heard testimony about the surveillance footage, the confrontation and Hicks’ statements to investigators.
As of September 16, the Stand Your Ground proceedings are not over. The court is scheduled to return on September 28, but according to Local 10, that date is expected to deal with scheduling the continuation of the proceedings rather than delivering a ruling on Hicks’ request.
For now, Hicks remains charged with second-degree murder, and the two sides continue to offer dramatically different interpretations of the same deadly confrontation.
The defense says a young rapper was attacked, threatened and forced to fight for her life.
Prosecutors say a physical confrontation ended, Harris was trying to get away, and Hicks made the decision to pull a gun and keep firing.
The surveillance footage and the court’s eventual ruling on Hicks’ Stand Your Ground claim could play a major role in determining what happens next in the case.
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