Bad News For Chaka Khan

[Emerald City]

Chaka Khan's son arrested for murder
Tue 28 September, 2004 06:23



LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 25-year-old son of
Grammy-winning R & B singer Chaka Khan has been arrested for murder after shooting another man while they fought over a gun, Los Angeles police say.
Damien Patrick Holland was taken into custody after the
shooting, which took place shortly before midnight on Friday at an apartment in south Los Angeles, Seargent Catherine Plows said on Monday.

"During a fight involving the victim and the suspect, a struggle for control of a gun resulted in it discharging," Plows said in a written statement. "The bullet struck the victim, who was transported to a local hospital where he died as a result of his injury."

Police said the victim was 17 but did not identify him and declined to comment further on the case pending an investigation.

The television program "Celebrity Justice," which provided first word of the arrest, said the shooting took place at the apartment complex where Holland lived and that the weapon was a high-powered rifle apparently found on the roof of a nearby building. It added that bail was set for $1 million (550,000 pounds) and that Holland's father was long divorced from Khan.

Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens, is best known for her hits "I Feel for You" and "I'm Every Woman."

[Emerald City]

Case against Chaka Khan's son dropped

September 29, 2004

BY CHERYL V. JACKSON



The 25-year-old son of legendary R&B singer Chaka Khan escaped murder charges Tuesday, when the Los Angeles County district attorney's office declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence.

Los Angeles Police arrested Damien Holland on Friday in the shooting death of a 17-year-old at his apartment complex. The boy was shot about 11:50 p.m. Friday as he fought with Holland and struggled for control of a gun, police said.

"During an argument, a gun was discharged and we had sufficient reason for an arrest," LAPD Officer Jason Lee said.

The wounded youth was transported to a hospital, where he died. Holland was booked at the LAPD's jail, then transferred to the county jail.

The Los Angeles County prosecutors reviewed the case Tuesday, but took no action.

"We didn't have sufficient evidence to file charges at this time," spokeswoman Jane Robison told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We asked the police to conduct further investigation into the incident."

Damien Holland is Chaka Khan's son by her second husband, Richard Holland, whom she married in 1974 and divorced a few years later.

Khan, a Grammy Award-winning artist, was born in the Chicago area. She fronted funk band Rufus before going solo in the late 1970s. Her hits, covered by the likes of Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston, include "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," "I'm Every Woman" and "I Feel for You."

Last month she performed with Chicago rapper/producer Kanye West at the MTV Video Music Awards, West having sampled her "Through the Fire" on his hit debut album.