Rapper Busta Rhymes avoided jail time today (January 23), after he pleaded guilty to assault and DUI charges.
Rhymes, born Trevor Smith accepted a plea deal in exchange for the guilty pleas. The acceptance is in direct contrast to Rhymes’ previous plea of not guilty, although the rapper has maintained his innocence throughout the entire case until now.
"Busta is glad to finally put this behind him," Busta’s attorney Scott Leemon told AllHipHop.com. "The last year and a half was rough on his family. He is looking forward to the future and not the past. He’s also looking forward to getting back to doing what everybody loves and knows him for, entertaining."
The misdemeanor assault charges stem from an incident where Busta allegedly attacked his former driver, Eddie Hatchett in 2006, as well as another case that centered around him allegedly beating up a fan who spit on a car that was in his entourage earlier that same year.
The rapper continued to pile up charges when he was arrested for driving with a suspended license and driving while intoxicated.
As a result of the plea deal, the Busta Rhymes will lose his driver’s licenses for six months, pay a $750 fine and enroll in a drunk-driving program.
Despite prosecutors’ request for him to spend one year in jail, Rhymes will get three years probation, served concurrently.
The judge in the case also ordered the rapper to do 10 days of community service and issued an order of protection for Smith’s assault victims.
If he violates the probation, Busta Rhymes will have to serve a year in jail.
