Loading....
Loading...
Local
Loading...
|
Canada
Loading...
|
World
Loading...
|
Business
Loading...
|
Sports
|
Entertainment
|
Movies
Loading...
|
Columns
Loading...
|
Blogs
Loading...
|
Life
|
Travel
Loading...
|
Games
|
x

Baton Rouge rapper Lil Boosie violates order in pot case, faces more prison time

Baton Rouge rapper Lil Boosie violates order in pot case, faces more prison time


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
November 10, 2009 6:38 p.m.
       Text size          
BATON ROUGE, La. - A Baton Rouge rapper who failed to follow a judge's instructions in a drug case will now have to serve about two years in prison instead of one.

Torrence (Lil Boosie) Hatch pleaded guilty in September to a third-offence marijuana possession charge, and state District Judge Chip Moore ordered the 26-year-old to be electronically monitored and to clear his concert dates with the court while awaiting sentencing.

Under a plea deal, Moore had been expected to sentence Hatch to 10 years in prison with all but the first two years suspended, meaning the rapper would likely serve about a year. But because Hatch violated portions of Moore's post-plea instructions, the judge sentenced him Monday to 10 years with all but the first four years suspended.

"The max he would do is two years," East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said after court.

James Manasseh, one of Hatch's attorneys, agreed with the district attorney's calculation.

Manasseh said his client left home without court permission and his electronic monitoring device died several times because he didn't charge it properly.

"They were not terribly severe violations," he said. "He just made some bad decisions on his part and the judge felt he had to send him a little bit of a message."

Moore told Hatch, "I really hope that you get it straight."

"You have the ability to change people's lives for the better, including your own," the judge said.

Lil Boosie's latest album, "Superbad: The Return of Boosie Bad Azz," was released in September and includes the lead single "Better Believe It," featuring Young Jeezy and Webbie. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200.

East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputies seized a bag of marijuana, a cigar containing the drug, and a gun from a car driven by Hatch on Oct. 22, 2008. Besides the marijuana charge, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, Hatch was charged with possession of a firearm with a controlled dangerous substance, which carries a mandatory minimum five-year term.

Moore said Hatch will be on probation for five years after he is released from prison.

The firearm charge is being held in abeyance. If Hatch successfully completes his probation, the charge will be dropped, prosecutors have said.

Manasseh said his client felt he had to leave his home so he could earn money for his family: "He felt he had to earn funds since he wouldn't be able to do so while he was in jail. He wasn't trying to thumb his nose at the judge, he just thought he was doing the right thing for his children. In the long run, though, he probably made it worse."

-

Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com

Don't be greedy, share this article:                                       

more entertainment stories

On The Road to apocalypse

Under normal circumstances, adapting a best-selling Pulitzer Prize-winning novel for the big-screen might be an unnerving prospect but when it came to making The Road, director John Hillcoat had an ace in his pocket.

Hedley preaches on worshiping false Idols

In Hedley’s early days, lead singer Jacob Hoggard spent a lot of energy trying to make people forget that he ever appeared on Canadian Idol.

Top dancer begins touring

Since winning top honours on So You Think You Can Dance-Canada in October, Tara-Jean Popowich has been on quite a wild ride.

Oprah's departure from broadcast TV leaves huge void for network affiliates

CHICAGO - For more than two decades, Oprah Winfrey has been the inspirational, change-your-life champion who reigned over daytime television much like Johnny Carson once ruled late night.

Britney Spears' ex sentenced to jail

LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears' ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib is being sent to jail for 45 days for leaving the scene of an accident.

editor's picks

Nearly a third of the members of Parliament are on Twitter bandwagon

OTTAWA - Members of Parliament are scrambling to climb aboard the Twitter bandwagon - and getting elbowed by controversial, satirical and even phoney postings.

U.S. volunteers strive to save Santa letter service after Postal Service puts it on ice

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A group of volunteer Santa Claus "elves" in Alaska's frigid interior is determined to save a popular holiday letter service featuring the North Pole's most beloved icon.

Egypt, Algeria in a growing diplomatic row caused by their bitter soccer rivalry

CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultations as part of a growing diplomatic row caused by a bitter soccer rivalry between the two Arab nations that has sparked violence among fans.

EU heads into new era with unknowns named to new president, foreign policy jobs

BRUSSELS - The EU says it has solved an old problem for Washington.

Finance minister proposes code of conduct for credit-and debit-card companies

OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is proposing a voluntary code of conduct for credit-and debit-card companies that he says will "level the playing field" for consumers and small businesses alike.


F E A T U R E D   S P O N S O R S