Today marks the one year anniversary of Slick
Rick’s detention in a Bradenton, Florida prison by the INS.
Rick’s case has been on hold since March, awaiting
Judge Kimba Woods’ decision on whether or not he can stay in the United States.
"Rick can’t get that year back," Rick’s
publicist Bill Adler told AllHipHop.com. "He should be released while he
awaits the decision."
In December, Rick’s lawyers filed an emergency
stay of deportation, with hopes of keeping the embattled rapper in the United
States, after the INS ruled to deport him back to England
Woods blocked the deportation ruling on December
27, just one day before he was scheduled to be deported.
Both sides presented their case to Woods in March
and after three months, a ruling has yet to be issued.
According to Adler, due to new phone rules at
the prison, Rick has had problems reaching the outside world.
"He hasn’t even been able to speak his wife,
it’s been at least a week since he has communicated with anyone."
Slick Rick, a native of Great Britain, has lived
in the United States since the age of 11. He faces deportation because of a
1990 incident, in which he shot his cousin and a bystander.
Rick served five years in 12 days in prison because
of the incident. According to United States law, any non-citizen who serves
more than 5 years in prison must be deported.
