http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/14328
Grammy nominated rapper Remy Ma awaited her fate in Manhattan's Criminal Court today (Mar. 27) as jury deliberations came to an end with a guilty ruling.
After being found guilty on four charges, Remy (born Reminisce Smith) was cuffed and escorted out of the court. As the door closed, SOHH could hear her cry out, "Oh my God," and a femail officer rushed to calm her down.
Remy's brother hollered out, "This is bullsh*t," as the verdict was being read. He was also escorted out of the court room. The stylist was crying, while Makeda Barnes-Joseph and her supporters jumped for joy.
The judge denied request by Remy's lawyer Ivan Fisher, to allow her time at home before sentencing begins.
As SOHH previously reported, Remy stood trial for shooting former friend Makeda 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 victim of stealing the money.
On Monday (Mar. 24) the jury went into deliberation after the prosecution and defense delivered their closing arguments in the assault trial against the Bronx-bred rapper. In his summation, defense attorney, Ivan Fisher, told jurors that the prosecution did not prove the Makeda Barnes-Joseph shooting as anything more than an accident.
Fisher claimed that on July 14, 2007, Remy entered Barnes-Joseph's car, after discovering $3,000 missing from her purse. The former Terror-Squad member accused Barnes-Joseph of stealing the money and demanded the plaintiff to dump the contents of her purse. Shortly after, a struggle ensued between the women. Fisher described, during the tussle the ladies hands hit the vehicle's rearview mirror, resulting Barnes-Joseph being shot in the abdomen.
"There is no other explanation for why Remy Smith would have chosen that unique moment in time to shoot her," Fisher said.
Fisher also went on record, saying the 26-year-old rapper had a good reason to suspect Barnes-Joseph of taking the money, as the latter had previously reached into Remy's purse to answer her cell phone. Although a witness testified that he saw Remy cock the gun before jumping into Barnes-Joseph's car, Fisher cited that the victim admitted in her own testimony, that the .45-caliber automatic pistol went off during a struggle over a handbag, confirming the shooting was more than a mishap.
Despite Fisher's claims, the prosecution disputed that Smith had every intention of shooting Barnes-Joseph. In his closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Michael McIntosh declared that an accident did not occur in the victim's car. McIntosh told the jury that Smith's actions were pre-mediated, taking every step to shoot Barnes-Joseph.
McIntosh continued to contest, that after the shooting Smith did not check Barnes-Joseph body for wounds nor call for medical assistance as the victim pled for her life. He went on to describe how Remy fled the scene in her SUV, crashed, abandoned the vehicle and retreated to a friend's apartment in Harlem.
The prosecution reinforced that the gun was never recovered.
Remy is charged with first-degree assault and other charges related to the shooting. Currently, she's free on $250,000 bail and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Grammy nominated rapper Remy Ma awaited her fate in Manhattan's Criminal Court today (Mar. 27) as jury deliberations came to an end with a guilty ruling.
After being found guilty on four charges, Remy (born Reminisce Smith) was cuffed and escorted out of the court. As the door closed, SOHH could hear her cry out, "Oh my God," and a femail officer rushed to calm her down.
Remy's brother hollered out, "This is bullsh*t," as the verdict was being read. He was also escorted out of the court room. The stylist was crying, while Makeda Barnes-Joseph and her supporters jumped for joy.
The judge denied request by Remy's lawyer Ivan Fisher, to allow her time at home before sentencing begins.
As SOHH previously reported, Remy stood trial for shooting former friend Makeda 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 victim of stealing the money.
On Monday (Mar. 24) the jury went into deliberation after the prosecution and defense delivered their closing arguments in the assault trial against the Bronx-bred rapper. In his summation, defense attorney, Ivan Fisher, told jurors that the prosecution did not prove the Makeda Barnes-Joseph shooting as anything more than an accident.
Fisher claimed that on July 14, 2007, Remy entered Barnes-Joseph's car, after discovering $3,000 missing from her purse. The former Terror-Squad member accused Barnes-Joseph of stealing the money and demanded the plaintiff to dump the contents of her purse. Shortly after, a struggle ensued between the women. Fisher described, during the tussle the ladies hands hit the vehicle's rearview mirror, resulting Barnes-Joseph being shot in the abdomen.
"There is no other explanation for why Remy Smith would have chosen that unique moment in time to shoot her," Fisher said.
Fisher also went on record, saying the 26-year-old rapper had a good reason to suspect Barnes-Joseph of taking the money, as the latter had previously reached into Remy's purse to answer her cell phone. Although a witness testified that he saw Remy cock the gun before jumping into Barnes-Joseph's car, Fisher cited that the victim admitted in her own testimony, that the .45-caliber automatic pistol went off during a struggle over a handbag, confirming the shooting was more than a mishap.
Despite Fisher's claims, the prosecution disputed that Smith had every intention of shooting Barnes-Joseph. In his closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Michael McIntosh declared that an accident did not occur in the victim's car. McIntosh told the jury that Smith's actions were pre-mediated, taking every step to shoot Barnes-Joseph.
McIntosh continued to contest, that after the shooting Smith did not check Barnes-Joseph body for wounds nor call for medical assistance as the victim pled for her life. He went on to describe how Remy fled the scene in her SUV, crashed, abandoned the vehicle and retreated to a friend's apartment in Harlem.
The prosecution reinforced that the gun was never recovered.
Remy is charged with first-degree assault and other charges related to the shooting. Currently, she's free on $250,000 bail and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
