Randall "Hype" Leonard is a hip hop and gangsta rap artist under the employment of Vincent Love. He was suspected of the beating and rape with a pipe of Eva Carson, a transgender college student, who later died from her injuries.
History[]
Eva had slapped Hype at a modeling event they both attended when he hurled slurs at her. He was arrested when his DNA was found under Eva's fingernails. Represented by the company lawyer of Love's label, Mitch Hampton, Hype revealed he and Eva were in a relationship, despite it challenging their orientations. Eva was coming into her own as she was transitioning, and as she was still early in embracing her identity, her relationship with Hype led her to change her mind on operations when he loved her as she was. Hype and Eva also worked together, with Eva writing much of Hype's lyrics.
Cash Lewis, Love's head producer, was revealed to be the attacker and murderer of Eva, failing to buy her out to keep the label's image. Hype was horrified to find out the truth and, under the guise of being furious from his contract not meeting his standards, he shot and killed Lewis out of revenge with one of Love's guns he stole. He tried to argue self-defense and a profits dispute at Hampton's direction, but the team found a recording of Love and Lewis discussing Eva needing to be fired. But failing to convince him past Love's and Hampton's pressure, the team were told by Hype he was "no snitch" and didn't accept a plea deal. Tragically, Hype was convicted and sentenced to hard time. Love left the courthouse without charges, Hype's single reaching the top of the hit list. (SVU: "Broken Rhymes")