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Busta Rhymes in Trouble with the Law again

Saturday, 04 November 2006

| Written by Dave

Busta Rhymes, busted again.

For the second time in less than two months, the rapper-actor has run afoul of New York's finest after getting nabbed talking on his cell phone while driving his SUV.

Rhymes, known on police reports as Trevor Smith, was yakking it up on his cell when he drove past a Manhattan police station around 7 p.m. on Thursday, per an NYPD spokesperson. The hip-hopster attracted the attention of a police cruiser, which pulled over his GMC Denali and issued him a summons for the moving violation.
Driving a vehicle while using a hand-held mobile telephone is illegal in New York, except in cases of an emergency, and is punishable by a maximum fine of $100 and mandatory surcharges of $50.

The multiplatinum-selling "Dangerous" performer apparently didn't take too kindly to being ticketed. Per the New York Post, he allegedly swore at officers and crumpled up the summons and threw it away before driving off.

Rhymes' attorney, Bob Kalina, could not be reached for comment Friday. Of course, the legal eagle has more pressing Rhymes-related matters to attend to.

The Brooklyn-born MC hasn't exactly endeared himself to the department in recent months. He has so far refused to cooperate with investigators seeking to identify a suspect in the unsolved February shooting death of Rhymes' bodyguard, Israel Ramirez, in front of a Brooklyn warehouse where the rapper was shooting a music video.

Last month, Rhymes appeared in Manhattan criminal court to face an assault charge for allegedly punching and kicking a fan who spat on the rapper's ride back in August. Rymes scored a partial victory when the judge shot down a request by prosecutors to tack on a weapons possession count for having a machete in his SUV.

However, the 34-year-old entertainer still has to answer for the third-degree misdemeanor assault and harassment charges stemming from the Aug. 12 fracas. The alleged victim, 37-year-old Melvin Smith, received medical treatment for a concussion, a split lip and an injured wrist and has filed a civil suit against the rapper.

According to the Post, Rhymes recently rejected a plea bargain from the D.A. two weeks ago that would have resulted in a six-month jail sentence. If convicted on all counts, the rapper would face up to a year behind bars.

The next hearing in the assault case is scheduled for Dec. 11.