Rapper Kevin Gates given 180 days in jail for kicking fan

BARTOW (FOX 13) - Rapper Kevin Gates was sentenced to 180 days in a Polk County jail after being found guilty of kicking a fan at a concert last year in Lakeland.

The judge also ordered a one year probation after Gates' jail time. The sentence was three times what prosecutors requested. 

Cell phone video captured the moment Gates kicked the woman - which happened August 29, 2015 at Rumors nightclub. He was charged with an found guilty of battery for kicking the victim, 19-year-old Miranda Dixon. She testified in court Wednesday.

"He lifted his foot up and kicked me," said Dixon.

Jurors also heard Gates's testimony in his own defense Wednesday. Gates was represented by Jose Baez, who famously defended Casey Anthony after her young daughter's death.

Baez argued Gates was battered by Dixon before he kicked her.

Dixon testified she reached out and touched Gates' shorts on two occasions. After the second time, Dixon says Gates kicked her so hard that she fell back and later blacked out. She also complained of pain in her upper stomach for a month after the incident.

Baez argued Gates' foot didn't make contact with Dixon at all, and that Dixon was lying in order to gain damages in a separate civil suit against Gates.

"Her credibility is to be questioned and you will not be able to beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt in this case believe her and that is why you should enter a verdict of not guilty in this case," said Baez.

The jury was made up of six white women, who decided to convict Gates after two hours of deliberation, which included re-watching the video of Gates kicking Dixon, but being denied by the judge testimony records regarding whether Gates testified that he did kick Dixon. The judge told the jurors they would have to rely on their memories.