Busta Rhymes makes appearance at pretrial hearing
FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) -- Rapper Busta Rhymes appeared in District Court to face an assault charge for allegedly pushing a fan after an impromptu show last December.
Rhymes, 31, of New York, whose real name is Trevor A. Smith Jr., was in town Thursday with two burly bodyguards for a pretrial hearing.
He was performing a late-night gig Dec. 7 at the former Jake�s Twin Saloon when Celine Giguere, 21, of Providence, R.I., allegedly reached out and touched his chin. The rapper grabbed her, shoved her head into a table and said, �If you try touching me again, I�ll kill you,� according to a police report.
Giguere told police that Rhymes assaulted her. Rhymes has denied that. Police did not charge Rhymes, but Giguere pressed charges.
Rhymes also filed an assault complaint against Giguere. A judge set separate trials for Jan. 22.
As Rhymes made his way to the stand, a young man held up his hand in a peace sign, shaking his hips as if he were dancing at one of the rapper�s concerts.
�I was just so sexy to that young lady,� Rhymes said after the hearing. �She just had to get me to do something to come back.�
Rhymes signed autographs outside the courthouse before leaving in a black van.
�I love it here,� he said.
Rhymes has had six solo albums and appeared in films including �Strapped� and �Higher Learning.�
|
