Former Hot Boy group
member Tab “Turk” Virgil has been sentenced to 10 years in prison,
after being convicted of three weapons charges stemming from a Jan. 2004 shootout
with Memphis, Tennessee SWAT Team members.
In August, the 24-year-old was convicted of being a felon, a
drug addict and a fugitive in possession of a handgun in relation to the shootout,
which left a SWAT Team member seriously wounded.
The 10-year sentence is the maximum the judge could issue and
Virgil must also pay a $200,000 fine.
The sentencing stems from a Jan. 2004 raid on an apartment in
Memphis. When SWAT Team members entered the apartment seeking drugs and weapons,
they were greeted with gunfire.
Virgil has maintained his innocence and denied being in a closet
or firing a 9mm handgun that was found in the closet.
The rapper apologized to the officer that was shot, asking for
forgiveness.
The apology brought more scrutiny from prosecutors, who believed
the apology was an admission of guilty.
“What are you sorry about?” Prosecutor Terry Harris
asked Virgil. “Who shot him?"
Virgil maintained his innocence stating: "I don’t know.
I didn’t shoot Officer Harris, and I wasn’t in the closet."
Officers testified Virgil was not in the bathroom and others
testified they saw the rapper crawling out of the closet.
The rapper was also chastised for allegedly recording rap music
over Shelby County Jail telephones, with lyrics that include "shoot first,
before they shoot you."
Virgil said he could not recall recording the rap, but officials
are now going through jail phone records to see if the rapper took advantage
of phone privileges to record an album.
Virgil is still
facing an attempted murder charge in Tennessee state court, but his attorney,
Jay Bailey said the rapper is negotiating a guilty plea to avoid going to trial.
