Busta Rhymes Goes To Trial

A Manhattan judge who offered Busta Rhymes a plea deal in February that would have kept the Brooklyn bred rapper out of jail, withdrew her proposal today (March 6).

According to the Associated Press, Judge Tanya Kennedy said Busta (born Trevor Smith) lost the deal because he was arrested for driving with a suspended license three days she made her offer.

Kennedy's deal offered Busta five days of community service, two weeks of youth lectures, and six months of anger management classes. He would also be on probation for three years.

"The court's offer is off the table," Kennedy told the 34-year-old rapper.

Busta is charged with assaulting his former driver, Eddie Hatchett, during a dispute over back pay. He is also charged for assaulting a fan who allegedly spit on his car in August.

After the judge withdrew her plea offer, Busta rejected a follow-up offer by the prosecution of one year in jail for each of two counts of assault - to run concurrently - and a $500 fine for the suspended license charge, and will go to trial instead.

The judge tentatively set the trial to begin on May 8.