From: AllHipHop
The "Hip-Hop Police" were scrutinized this morning during a court hearing involving security for internationally known rap star Young Jeezy.
Jeezy's head of security, Stephen Helin, was in court today (September 12th), over an incident after a concert featuring rapper Jay-Z at Madison Square Garden in March of 2010.
Stephen Helin and several other members of Young Jeezy's security detail were arrested after the concert on March 3rd, 2010, around 5:00AM, with at least five guns.
Each defendant was facing a mandatory minimum of 3.5 years, under New York's strict anti-gun laws, which have resulted in jail time for celebrities like Lil Wayne, Ja Rule, Prodigy, Plaxico Burress and others.
According to Stephen Helin's lawyer Scott Leemon ESQ., the specific facts of the case forced the New York County D.A.'s office to reduce the felony gun charges to misdemeanors.
"Today, right before the scheduled Suppression Hearing in New York County Supreme Court, the New York County DA's office, because of the specific facts of this case, offered the defendants an opportunity to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree with a promised sentence of a Conditional Discharge (requires no probation supervision) and a $1000 fine," Scott Leemon ESQ., told AHH.
Each man was licensed and had a permit to carry their guns, but only in the state of Georgia. At the time of their arrest, the guns were found in locked boxes, not on any one person.
Leemon said that prosecutors decided to reduce the gun charges to misdemeanors, due to the questionable tactics by the "Hip-Hop Police," which is now officially known as "Enterprise Operation Unit.”
"They were facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 3.5 years in State Prison if convicted of any of the charges in the indictment before the plea," Scott Leemon ESQ. said. "The defendants accepted the People's offer and the hearing never went forward. Justice Charles Solomon accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for November 29, 2011."
The police allegedly did not want to jeopardize any ongoing investigations, although more specifics about who is being targeted was not available.
Leemon said that during today's hearing, his plan was to expose the "Hip-Hop Police" and whether or not Young Jeezy's security detail's Constitutional rights had been violated.
Prosecutors decided to drastically reduce the charges, resulting in the cancellation of the hearing.
"The hearing was scheduled to focus on the methods and means used by the Hip Hop Police (a/k/a "Enterprise Operation Unit") in the arrest of the defendants in this case; and, specifically whether the stop of the van and seizure of evidence was legal under the law in the State of New York," Scott Leemon told AHH.
Young Jeezy was not available for comment as of press time.
Stephen Helin and several other members of Young Jeezy's security detail were arrested after the concert on March 3rd, 2010, around 5:00AM, with at least five guns.
Each defendant was facing a mandatory minimum of 3.5 years, under New York's strict anti-gun laws, which have resulted in jail time for celebrities like Lil Wayne, Ja Rule, Prodigy, Plaxico Burress and others.
According to Stephen Helin's lawyer Scott Leemon ESQ., the specific facts of the case forced the New York County D.A.'s office to reduce the felony gun charges to misdemeanors.
"Today, right before the scheduled Suppression Hearing in New York County Supreme Court, the New York County DA's office, because of the specific facts of this case, offered the defendants an opportunity to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree with a promised sentence of a Conditional Discharge (requires no probation supervision) and a $1000 fine," Scott Leemon ESQ., told AHH.
Each man was licensed and had a permit to carry their guns, but only in the state of Georgia. At the time of their arrest, the guns were found in locked boxes, not on any one person.
Leemon said that prosecutors decided to reduce the gun charges to misdemeanors, due to the questionable tactics by the "Hip-Hop Police," which is now officially known as "Enterprise Operation Unit.”
"They were facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 3.5 years in State Prison if convicted of any of the charges in the indictment before the plea," Scott Leemon ESQ. said. "The defendants accepted the People's offer and the hearing never went forward. Justice Charles Solomon accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for November 29, 2011."
The police allegedly did not want to jeopardize any ongoing investigations, although more specifics about who is being targeted was not available.
Leemon said that during today's hearing, his plan was to expose the "Hip-Hop Police" and whether or not Young Jeezy's security detail's Constitutional rights had been violated.
Prosecutors decided to drastically reduce the charges, resulting in the cancellation of the hearing.
"The hearing was scheduled to focus on the methods and means used by the Hip Hop Police (a/k/a "Enterprise Operation Unit") in the arrest of the defendants in this case; and, specifically whether the stop of the van and seizure of evidence was legal under the law in the State of New York," Scott Leemon told AHH.
Young Jeezy was not available for comment as of press time.
