Lil’ Wayne entered a not guilty plea at an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday (Feb. 25) where he faces two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
The charges stem from an incident last summer in which Wayne was arrested shortly after his performance at New York City’s Beacon Theater. Police say they saw Weezy (born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.) and an acquaintance smoking marijuana near 61st Street and Columbus Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Upon a search, cops discovered a .40 caliber pistol.
“My concern obviously is whether or not this was an appropriate search and whether or not they’re attributing what was allegedly found to the right person,” Wayne’s defense attorney Stacey Richman told SOHH this afternoon.
Ja Rule was also arrested on gun charges and released on bond on the same night as Wayne but in a separate incident. Richman represents both artists and both maintain their innocence
Wayne has been steeped in legal trouble lately.
He was just in an Arizona court earlier this month following a January arrest in that state for an indictment on felony drug and weapons charges. In that take down, border patrol agents found 105 grams of marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine, 41 grams of ecstasy and $22,000 belonging to the rapper.
Wayne will have another New York court date in connection with the weapons charges in April. He probably won’t need to appear because the attorneys will merely be entering motions at that point but Richman said she expects that the rapper will show.
“He’ll probably be there,” she said. “He’s very responsible.”
On Sunday (Feb. 23), the eve of his court appearance, Wayne performed at the Newark NJ’s Symphony Hall Theater. In spite of his legal troubles, SOHH camera’s captured a celebratory Wayne attempting to Crank That Soulja Boy on stage.
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