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Lil Kim sentenced, Buzz single released |
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Wednesday, Hip Hop Honey Lil' Kim AKA Kimberly Jones was sentenced 12 months and a day in prison after admitting she was wrong to lie to a grand jury investigating two of her associates, Suif Jackson and Damion Butler involved in a 2001 shooting outside a radio station. Both men have pleaded guilty to firing shots that injured one man. Before her sentencing in federal district court in Manhattan, the Grammy Award-winning artist made a plea for leniency reports Reuters
"I testified falsely to the grand jury and during the trial. At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do. Now I know it was wrong," Lil Kim said in court.
Kim was also fined $50,000. The sentence was lenient compared to the 3.5 years that prosecutors sought.
Lil' Kim was convicted in March of conspiracy and perjury for lying to a grand jury. The three perjury counts and the conspiracy charge carried maximum sentences of five years each.
Prosecutors said Lil' Kim tried to protect Suif Jackson and Damion Butler by telling the grand jury during its 2003 probe that Butler, one of her former managers, was not there that day and that she did not know Jackson.
Kim is expected to surrender and begin her prison term on September 19th. It will be up to the Bureau of Prisons to determine where she'll serve the time. Lil' Kim apologized for putting a burden on her friends and family.
"This is by far the toughest thing I have ever had to go through," she told the judge in a quivering voice. "I am a God-fearing, good person."
In other news a buzz single called 'Shut up Bitch' was released to radio yesterday to build up for Lil Kim's The Naked Truth set for release August 30th.
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