LIVERMORE — Police have arrested Bigg Marv, a cousin of MC Hammer and a regular on the "Hammertime" TV show, on suspicion of raping a woman he met through Twitter.
Marvin Turell Grant was taken into custody about 2 p.m. today in the 7600 block of Erb Street in rural Tracy. He was arrested without incident, police said.
Grant, also known as Bigg Marv or Lyin' Marv, had promised to surrender to police this morning and failed to show up, said Lt. Matt Sarsfield. Police say a Los Angeles area woman came to the Livermore Police Department on Wednesday morning and said she had been raped by the 33-year-old man, Sarsfield said.
The woman told investigators she had communicated with Grant via Twitter and e-mail. The electronic notes turned into romantic phone calls and the two agreed to meet in Livermore on Tuesday, when Grant was going be in the Bay Area.
The woman told police Grant arrived at the hotel where she had rented a room and took her to dinner. Afterward, they returned to her hotel room and she said Grant began to fondle her.
She told police she told him to stop because they had just met. Instead, she said, Grant forced himself on her, pinning her left arm, and sexually assaulted her.
The woman's name is not being released because it is Bay Area News Group policy to not name victims in sexual assaults.
The woman said she tried to stop the attack but couldn't because of Grant's size. She said afterwards he dressed and left the hotel without speaking to her.
Police reached Grant on his cell phone and said Grant told them he would turn himself to police in on Wednesday, but he failed to appear. He then said he would come in this morning, but he did not show up.
Grant could not be reached by phone for comment. Representatives of the A&E network that airs "Hammertime" had no comment. A network spokesperson said they had not heard of the arrest until they received a call from a Bay Area Newspaper Group reporter.
"Hammertime," currently airing on A&E, features the daily family life of the former rap star, who lives in Tracy.
According to the show's Web site, Grant is a "loyal member of Hammer's entourage. Cousin Marv is always hanging around the Hammer house, especially at meal times ... "Whether on purpose or not, Marv's personality and demeanor provide instant comedy in any situation."
Marvin Turell Grant was taken into custody about 2 p.m. today in the 7600 block of Erb Street in rural Tracy. He was arrested without incident, police said.
Grant, also known as Bigg Marv or Lyin' Marv, had promised to surrender to police this morning and failed to show up, said Lt. Matt Sarsfield. Police say a Los Angeles area woman came to the Livermore Police Department on Wednesday morning and said she had been raped by the 33-year-old man, Sarsfield said.
The woman told investigators she had communicated with Grant via Twitter and e-mail. The electronic notes turned into romantic phone calls and the two agreed to meet in Livermore on Tuesday, when Grant was going be in the Bay Area.
The woman told police Grant arrived at the hotel where she had rented a room and took her to dinner. Afterward, they returned to her hotel room and she said Grant began to fondle her.
She told police she told him to stop because they had just met. Instead, she said, Grant forced himself on her, pinning her left arm, and sexually assaulted her.
The woman's name is not being released because it is Bay Area News Group policy to not name victims in sexual assaults.
The woman said she tried to stop the attack but couldn't because of Grant's size. She said afterwards he dressed and left the hotel without speaking to her.
Police reached Grant on his cell phone and said Grant told them he would turn himself to police in on Wednesday, but he failed to appear. He then said he would come in this morning, but he did not show up.
Grant could not be reached by phone for comment. Representatives of the A&E network that airs "Hammertime" had no comment. A network spokesperson said they had not heard of the arrest until they received a call from a Bay Area Newspaper Group reporter.
"Hammertime," currently airing on A&E, features the daily family life of the former rap star, who lives in Tracy.
According to the show's Web site, Grant is a "loyal member of Hammer's entourage. Cousin Marv is always hanging around the Hammer house, especially at meal times ... "Whether on purpose or not, Marv's personality and demeanor provide instant comedy in any situation."
