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Busta Rhymes Considering Plea Deal In Assault Case |
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Tuesday, 20 February 2007 |
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 Busta Rhymes rejected a New York prosecutor's offer of six months in
jail on two assault charges today (Feb. 20) but is considering a
judge's deal that would let him plead guilty to misdemeanor assault and
remain free.
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Tanya Kennedy said the
34-year-old rapper could plead guilty to third-degree assault and
receive a conditional discharge.
Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, is accused in one complaint
with beating Edward Hatchett, 39, his former driver, "with a closed
fist about the head and neck" and kicking him in the ribs and torso
during a dispute over back pay.
The Dec. 26 attack outside Rhymes'
lower Manhattan office left Hatchett with cuts, bruises and substantial
pain, a court complaint says.
In the other case, Rhymes is charged with assaulting a fan, allegedly
for spitting on his car, after an Aug. 12 performance at the AmsterJam
Music Festival on Randalls Island.
Assistant District Attorney Harrison Schweiloch had
offered Rhymes six months in jail to cover both assaults with orders of
protection for the victims.
Rhymes, free on $3,500 bail, didn't speak in court or while leaving the
courthouse. If he accepts the judge's offer and meets the conditions of
the proposed sentence -- which would include five days of community
service, two weeks of youth lectures and six months of anger management
classes -- the charges would be dismissed in six months.
He also would be on three years' probation. If he
failed to meet the conditions of the sentence, or if he violated
probation, he could go to jail for a year.
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