Ja’Marc Antoine Davis, founder of the Tulsa, Okla.-based Christian hip-hop act Raze, has waived his right to a preliminary hearing without a plea agreement on rape and molestation charges. Davis is accused of having a sexual relationship with a former backup dancer for the group starting when she was 13 and he was 22.
The 26-year-old artist is charged with five counts of lewd molestation, three counts of forcible sodomy, and two counts of rape by instrumentation. He remains free on bond and is scheduled to be arraigned July 9.
Defense attorney Rob Nigh said Friday that Davis opted to forgo the process because he did not want the alleged victim to have to testify at the preliminary hearing.
According to an affidavit, Davis met the victim and her family through their church. The family asked Davis to tutor the girl, her sister and her brother, who also had a Christian-based music group.
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