The May 2000 shooting
of rapper 50 Cent will be introduced as evidence against The Inc. associate, Kenneth
“Supreme” McGriff, who is facing the death penalty in March 2006 on
racketeering, narcotics and murder charges
On Friday (Dec. 9), the U.S. Attorney’s office confirmed
they will introduce evidence that McGriff was involved in 50 Cent’s shooting
in 2000.
This also opens up the possibility that 50 himself will be subpoenaed
to testify in court.
Federal prosecutors alleged that McGriff laundered his drug
proceeds through companies controlled by The Inc.’s Irv and Chris Lorenzo,
charges the brothers were recently vindicated of in a highly publicized trial.
50 Cent was shot in May 2000. Early descriptions described the
shooter as a black male in a black short sleeved shirt, with a stocky build.
Prosecutors allege 50 was shot for name checking McGriff and
other Queens, New York drug dealers and for feuding with The Inc.’s Ja
Rule.
Attorneys for the government unsuccessfully attempted to introduce
50 Cent’s shooting in the trial of the Lorenzo brothers, alleging that
Ja Rule’s bodyguard, Robert “Sun” Lyons was the triggerman
behind the May 2000 shooting, on orders of McGriff.
50 Cent has stated in numerous interviews and on records that
the shooter was Darryl “Hommo” Baum.
Baum was later allegedly murdered on orders of Lil’ Kim’s
ex-boyfriend Damion “World” Hardy in an unrelated retaliatory slaying.
50 Cent’s feud with The Inc. and his subsequent shooting
in 2000, New York, helped catapult the rapper to superstardom.
“Evidence related to 50’s shooting was introduced into
Irv and Chris Gotti’s trial but was thrown out by the judge because it was ruled
irrelevant to their case,” author Ethan Brown told AllHipHop.com.
Brown is the author of “Queens
Reigns Supreme : Fat Cat, 50 Cent, and the Rise of the Hip Hop Hustler,
”a detailed look into McGriff’s Supreme Team drug dealing crew, other Queens
New York drug dealers and their connection to various players in the Hip-Hop
world.
“It makes much more sense for the Feds to introduce evidence
related to 50’s shooting into McGriff’s trial as he is facing several murder
counts,” Brown stated. “The Gotti’s, conversely, were simply
charged with money laundering."
The Lorenzo’s have repeatedly denied involvement in 50
Cent’s shooting, which has been mythologized by 50 Cent himself in albums
and in his film debut, “Get Rich or Die Tryin.”
McGriff is also charged with the slaying of another Queens,
New York rapper, Eric “E Money Bags” Smith.
E Money Bags allegedly shot a close associate of McGriff’s,
Colbert “Black Just” Johnson, who later died of his wounds.
Authorities contend that McGriff put E Money Bags under surveillance
and later in 2001, gunman open fire on the rapper as he sat in his SUV parked
on a Queens street, killing him instantly.
Federal prosecutors also plan to introduce evidence of other
violent acts by McGriff and/or “The Supreme Team.”
Some of the evidence includes an incident where a man was thrown
through a barbershop window, an incident where McGriff allegedly plotted to
murder a woman pregnant with his child and an incident where McGriff allegedly
ordered a man murdered for bumping into him at a nightclub.
