July 25, 2007 - Lil Wayne and Ja Rule were arrested in the same night on separate occassions in Manhattan’s 20th Precinct. The ironic thing is they both had 40 caliber handguns. They both were charged with criminal weapons possession.
According to the New York Post, police say they stopped Rule’s 2004 Mercedes Maybach around 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of West End Avenue and 78th street for having a suspended registration. The officers searched the vehicle after smelling marijuana and discovered a .40-caliber semiautomatic Taurus in a backseat compartment of the car. Police arrested Rule, as well as his 38-year-old driver Mohamed Gamel and another passenger 36-year-old Dennis Cherry.
Ja Rule was pulled first and had to post up a $150,000 bond. Sources for the NY Post said the rapper used his Saddle Brook, NJ mansion as collateral for the $320,000 combined bail money for him and his two associates. After spending almost 24 hours in jail, Ja was released on July 23. His new album “The Mirror” is set to hit stores Sept. 25. As is so often the case, rappers with controversy have a history of benefitting from legal trouble.
The crazy part is next. Exactly one hour later, NYPD forces boarded Lil Wayne’s tour bus on 61st Street near Columbus Avenue after claiming that the vehicle smelled of marijuana.
According to NY’s Daily News, the police discovered Derrick Lawrence of Brooklyn trying to flush half a pound of marijuana in the bus toilet. Wayne was changing as the officers entered the vehicle, and according to prosecutor Joan Illuzzi, police discovered a .40-caliber Springfield Armory semiautomatic in a Louis Vuitton bag the rapper removed from his lap. Wayne posted bail of $70,000.
Both rappers are represented by the same defense lawyer, Stacey Richman. Richman has called their arrests and enormous bails a “tax on celebrity.” Richman also stated the Ja Rule had a company car and that the gun could have belonged to any number of users.
If convicted, both rappers may face up to three and a half years in prison due to NY’s strict new gun laws. Rule and Weezy are due back in court on Friday (July 27)
Ironically, both artists had a song that did together which premiered July 23 called “Uh Oh”.
by Jay Brown
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