Jadakiss, the rapper who wrote controversial lyrics about U.S. President George W. Bush and the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on New York, has been indicted on gun and drug charges. Using his real name of Jason Phillips, Jadakiss entered a not guilty plea yesterday (Feb. 8) to charges of possessing a loaded handgun and marijuana in White Plains, N.Y.
He was arrested Oct. 7 with three other men in his native Yonkers, N.Y. Police said they stopped the car he was in after smelling marijuana and then found the gun.
The rapper’s lawyer, Clement Patti, said, “I have yet to see or hear of any evidence connecting my client to possessing this weapon.” He said Jadakiss was in the back seat and did not know there was a gun in the front console.
If convicted on the gun charge in Westchester County Court, the maximum sentence Jadakiss would face is 16 months to seven years in prison. The law was toughened in November to provide a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years.
Two of the other arrested men face similar charges. No indictment of the fourth was announced.
