Busta Rejects Plea Offer, Faces Four Separate Trials

Busta Rhymes once again rejected a plea deal offered by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office this morning (July 10) that would have landed him in jail for one year on four separate charges. Busta now faces four separate trials on two assault charges, one charge of drunk driving and a charge of driving with a suspended license. According to the Associated Press, Busta did win a small victory when Judge Larry Stephen denied the prosecutions request to consolidate the two assault charges into one case. Busta’s attorney, Scott Leemon, praised the judge’s decision. "The two assault cases cannot be consolidated," said Leemon. "The decision today validated Busta's defenses to the assault cases. We detailed to the court that we have defense to these cases and the court agreed."

Leemon also dismissed the deal offered by Assistant District Attorney Harrison Schweiloch, of a sentence of one year in prison on all four charges as “the same offer” that was made at the last court appearance. The attorney told the Associated Press that the court will now hold hearings to determine whether or not statements Busta made to police during the two driving offenses are admissible in court. The rapper stands accused of attacking his former driver Eddie Hatchet during an argument about money, and assaulting a fan that allegedly spit on his car after the Heineken Amsterjam Music Festival last August. Prosecutors had offered him a deal on both charges earlier this year, but withdrew it after he was picked up for driving with a suspended license in February. The controversial Aftermath artist was then arrested on charges of drunk driving on May 3, just days before he was scheduled to appear in court on the assault counts.