Joliet Rapper Pleads With Judge to Spare Him Trip to Prison

An ex-convict Joliet rapper pleaded with a Will County judge to spare him a trip to prison.

Deondray “Star Money” Hall, 24, faces up to 10 years in prison for attempting to escape from the police after he was arrested on a gun charge in May.

On Thursday, Hall told Judge Daniel Rozak he would “do whatever I have to do to be successful,” if he could get a sentence of probation instead of a stretch in prison.

“My mama raised me to be better than this,” said Hall, whose body is tattooed with numerous gang symbols.

About those tattoos, Hall said, “If I could jump out of my body I would.”

“Every day I have to prove myself,” he said. “If you don’t know me I have to prove I’m a good person.”

Hall said he got his first tattoo, one of his mother’s name, when he was 11. After that, he explained, “Tattoos became somewhat of an addiction.”

Hall also told of the “consistent vendetta” he believes the Joliet police have against him due to a settlement he got in a federal civil case after he “got beat down.”

“I won’t say all the Joliet police are out to get me,” said Hall, adding, “I don’t know what they’re bound to do or when they’re bound to do it, because they have the authority.”

Hall was only out of prison four months when he was picked up on the gun and escape charges. In those four months, he produced four rap videos, said his attorney, Jeff Tomczak.

At an earlier hearing for Hall’s sentencing, his friends and family spoke of his devotion to making himself a successful rapper. And despite Hall’s dozens of gang tattoos and videos that show him rapping about the many local murderers he wants freed from prison, Tomczak suggested Hall was merely a performer taking “artistic license.”

Prosecutor Chris Regis said Hall’s musical endeavors were unrelated to his crime.

“This case has nothing to do with the Star Money Gang. This case has nothing to do with music,” Regis said.”This case has to do with a young man who can’t stop committing felonies.”

Hall won’t find out whether he’s headed back to prison until later this month.

“At this time, I’m pleading for help, opportunity and forgiveness,” he said.

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