'It's a bad day,' her attorney says; MC weeps openly as she leaves court in handcuffs.
By Jayson Rodriguez

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Remy Ma was found guilty on two charges of assault Thursday (March 27) in Manhattan Supreme Court. She faces up to 25 years if convicted on both counts.

The rapper, 26, wiped away tears as the verdict was read, then "wailed loudly and sobbed openly" as she left the courtroom in handcuffs, according to The Associated Press.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred last July when the rapper and Makeda Barnes-Joseph argued after leaving a mutual acquaintance's birthday party. Remy Ma alleged Barnes-Joseph stole several thousand dollars from her purse that night; Barnes-Joseph was shot after the two struggled in her car. Remy Ma fled the scene in an SUV but crashed nearby. Neither the money nor the weapon have been found.

Charges of tampering and gang assault, related to the case, were thrown out, the rapper's attorney, Ivan Fisher, told MTV News on Thursday. Sentencing for the case is scheduled for April 22.

Fisher told MTV News he intends to file an appeal for his client immediately.

"The jury acquitted the second half of the indictment," he said, referring to the tampering and intimidation charges. "That will help the appeal because that evidence, those charges, shouldn't have been in the case to begin with. And there are other issues we think may turn the conviction around."

However, he conceded, "It's a bad day."

The back-and-forth in the case has been contentious from the beginning.

During the opening arguments, Fisher characterized Barnes-Joseph as a celebrity groupie. He told the jury Barnes-Joseph was misrepresenting events in an effort to win a big financial payoff. She filed a $10 million civil lawsuit against the rapper but later withdrew it, according to Fisher.

Prosecutors attempted to paint Remy Ma as a gun-toting intimidator. Assistant District Attorney Jason Berland told jurors the rapper was calculating and bullying, citing an August incident during which a group of men allegedly close to Remy Ma assaulted Barnes-Joseph's boyfriend and broke his nose. Charges were brought against the rapper for intimidation but were thrown out in the conviction. Prosecutors also noted the gun Remy Ma carried was loaded with hollow-point bullets, intended to severely cause injury.

From the beginning the former Terror Squad rapper maintained her innocence, telling a group of reporters at her New Jersey home shortly after the incident that she did not shoot her friend. During closing remarks, however, her attorney conceded his client did in fact shoot Barnes-Joseph, but labeled it an accident. Fisher told jurors the weapon went off while the two women struggled with each other during their argument.


[Edited 4/4/08 15:14pm]
[Edited 4/4/08 15:14pm]

Remy Ma and her lawyer Ivan Fisher seemed in good spirits as they entered the court earlier this afternoon. While waiting for the jury to announce the verdict, Remy appeared comfortable and relaxed as she conversed with her defense team.

The trial began at noon. As the diverse jury, consisting of many cultures and ages, read their verdict, Remy placed her head on the table in shock. She was found guilty on four charges, including assault in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon anmd coercion. She was not charged with gang assault, witness intintimidation or witness tampering from a seperate incident.

Remy was then cuffed and escorted out of the court. As the door closed, she could be heard crying out, "Oh my God." A female officer rushed to calm her down.
Remy's brother hollered out, "This is bullsh*t," as the verdict was being read. The judge ordered him to be escorted out of the court room. Remy's stylist cried.

"We are very disappointed with the jury's verdict," Fisher told SOHH. Remy wasn't ready for this. We plan to appeal all of the assault related charges."

Makeda Barnes-Joseph and her supporters celebrated upon hearing the verdict, while Barnes-Joseph's mother cried tears of joy.

"This is wonderful," the plaintiff's mother reacted to the guilty verdict. "God is good. There is no secret to what God can do. He reveals everything."

Judge Rena K. Uvillier denied a request by Remy's lawyer, to allow her time at home before being sentenced.

"Remy didn't expect this," Fisher continued. "She didn't tell her 8-year-old son, who she left this morning [she would not be returning home]."

"They all lied," Remy's brother told SOHH in an outrage outside of the Manhattan court building. "They lied to the police and they lied on the stand," he added as he told a reporter to stop snapping photos.

Remy stood trial for shooting former friend Barnes-Joseph in New York City's Meatpacking district, last July. The incident occurred after Remy discovered $3,000 missing from her purse and accused the plaintiff of stealing the money.

Remy faces up to 25 years in prison. A sentence date has not yet been determined.
[Edited 3/27/08 11:52am]

Got what she deserved.

Good riddance.

Even if she weren't guilty, as she insists, I have to ask this question.

When you're down with a crew called the Terror Squad, and you let your mouth write a check like this (from "I'm")":



How in the world could you NOT expect to get the book thrown at you when you catch a case ON A SHOOTING CHARGE?

Tragic.
[Edited 3/27/08 12:19pm]

namepeace said:

.....and just plain dumb.....

I would, too, if I was the stylist responsible for that mess.

A note to Rappers - Don't write Lyrics that oneday you will have to answer for. To the public...you are what U WRITE.

banks said:

I'm pretty sure her former friend didn't expect a bullet in the face either.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

she didn't shoot her in the face ...She shot her in the stomach.....TWICE

banks said:

face, stomach ... same thing.

There went that "rap career".

Wow so much wasted potential. She could have been the next "Khia". (or Trina).

PS Don't drop the Soap!

JUST MAKES ME WISH BIG PUN WAS STILL ALIVE.....
CUZ FAT JOE WOULDN'T BE STUNTIN' LIKE HE IS.....
PUN WOULDA RODE W/CUBAN LINK & REMY.....
AND JOE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO
"DIGGIN' IN THE CRATES"!!!!!

Oh well. When are these fools gonna stop trying to live their lives like it's one big damn music video? Going to jail is NOT glamorous at all.
She's a dumb ass. I feel sorry for her son.

alwayslate said:

The kid's better off without that lunatic influencing him. I hope they put her away for a long time.

A mother of an eight year old son. That's the saddest part.

alwayslate said:

Exactly. I know these young people like to do the whole hard thing and "keeping it real", but once you have kids it's time to let that mess go, stop behaving like a fool, and keep your butt out of the streets

Now she's shot someone in the stomach, might have to go to jail until she's retirement age ( & if that happens good luck finding a job when you get out ), her child is going to be without a mother and she'll miss the joy in seeing him grow & develope, then the sucessful music career she made for herself has gone up in smoke...all over three thousand bucks. If that's not a crappy rate of exchange, I don't know what is...

Ottensen said:

"MFers love 'keeping it real'...real DUMB!"

I have three observations:

1) Why in this day in age of debit cards and credit cards would you carry $3,000 in your purse?

2) Why would you need to carry $3000 on you to a private birthday party?

and

3) If you are carrying $3000 in cash in your purse why would you not have your purse in your possession at all times?

Just odd.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

I've NEVER bought into the "plastic" theory. I always.....ALWAYS carry cash.

Graycap23 said:

Debit cards are cash for all intents and purposes. But ok, I'll go with the all cash, all the time. But, I bet you don't let your wallet or money clip out of your possession or let anybody hold it for you

.
[Edited 3/28/08 8:40am]

Graycap23 said:

ALRIGHT EVERY ORGER ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW!!!! GRAY CAP GIMME YOUR WALLET! !!!

Cinnie said:

The last mofo that tried 2 jack me.....can't walk.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

U got that right.

Graycap23 said:

So don't you think it's just bizarre that this Remy Ma person was carying this amount of cash with her, but put herself in a position that her purse was not in her posession at all times and then accuses her buddy of stealing from her

Ifsixwuz9 said:

That was flat DUMB....but i would imagine it's easy 4 women 2 lay their purse down.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

I don't find it odd, considering that she's a semi famous rapper, and they love to flash cash, you'd be surprise how many establish rappers who don't have credit cards... my best friend was a mgr in the Loews Hotel in Miami and so many of then always paid with cash... he was like damn can't they get a secured card or something,, but they just like to floss especially the ones who really don't have it like that (money)