DMX must serve time
2005-12-01 11:22
New York - Rapper DMX was slapped with a seven-day sentence by a New York City judge who said "he's a violation waiting to happen".
DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to driving with a suspended license in the Bronx neighbourhood last April after his sport utility vehicle struck a car that in turn hit a police car. He was also fined $500.
Criminal court Judge George Villegas rejected Simmons' plea for probation, saying, "I'm not going to put him on probation because he's a violation waiting to happen."
The 34-year-old rapper, who lives in Mount Kisco, New York, already is serving a 70-day sentence for driving with a suspended license in the Queens neighbourhood of New York City. Villegas allowed the seven-day penalty to run concurrently.
The judge joked that his children, who are big DMX fans, "are not talking to me anymore".
In the Queens case, Simmons pleaded guilty in October to violating the conditions of his release following a June 2004 incident at New York City's Kennedy Airport. Authorities said Simmons had claimed he was a federal agent and smashed his SUV into a parking lot gate to avoid paying $9.
Under his December 2004 conditional release, Simmons was required to stay out of trouble for a year - but he was twice cited for traffic violations, including a 167 km per hour speeding ticket and the accident with the unmarked police car.
- AP