Rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow drew a ten-year prison sentence from Judge Charles Solomon for his involvement in a December 27, 1999 incident in which three people were shot at Club New York in New York City.
The twenty-two-year-old Barrow was convicted of five charges, including criminal possession of a weapon and assault in the first degree on March 16th in a New York State Supreme Court. He was handed down four sentences, which will run concurrently. A charge of assault against Natania Reuben, who was shot in the face, drew the ten-year sentence. Barrow's counterparts the evening of the shooting, mentor Sean Combs and Combs' bodyguard Anthony Jones were both acquitted of various charges of weapons possession and bribery. Though Barrow was acquitted of an attempted murder charge, three days before the verdict was handed down, his defense team admitted that he had fired a gun in the club, but that it was in self-defense, as he heard someone say that he was "going to kill Shyne." "His intent was to save his life, to get out of danger," one of Barrow's attorneys, Ian Niles, argued. Ballistics tests revealed that the gun found on Barrow by the police who arrested him outside the club had been fired twice, though witnesses in the trial testified that they heard three to six shots. Barrow's attorney suggested that another gunman was responsible for the injuries sustained by the three victims, but the admission led to his conviction on the lesser charges, which could have resulted in a sentence of as much as twenty-five years.
"Shyne's sentence is unfair and extreme as I know he had no intention of hurting anyone," Combs said. "My prayers are with him and his family. I'm shocked by today's outcome. I will continue to support Shyne throughout his appeal."
Barrow was originally scheduled for sentencing on April 17th, but the court date was pushed back for scheduling reasons. He has been incarcerated since the March 16th conviction.
ANDREW DANSBY
(June 1, 2001)
