If there’s one thing Lil Wayne does, it’s take care of his business. Whether it’s a court case, a concert or a studio session, Weezy has built his career on being dependable.
At least according to his lawyer, Stacey Richman, who said that’s why she was surprised when she got word late Friday night that Wayne (born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) had been arrested in Boise, Idaho, on a felony fugitive charge tied to a 2006 arrest in Georgia on possessing a controlled substance.
Richman said Wayne thought the case — which stemmed from an arrest in August 2006 in which the rapper was charged with possession of marijuana and more than 100 Xanax and hydrocodone pills — was taken care of by his previous lawyer, who told him it had been dismissed. “He never heard a thing about it again,” Richman said. “A year later, the Fulton County [Georgia] DA made a proceeding on it and we didn’t know, and whoever represented [Wayne] in the past didn’t notify him either.”
The 25-year-old rapper was taken into custody right after his show Friday night at the Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, and booked into Ada County Jail, where he remained until late Saturday afternoon, while Richman said she scrambled to find out about the old case and secure Wayne’s release. “I tracked down the warrant and worked on getting the situation explained to the court,” Richman said. “He’s never missed a court date or any professional obligation. That’s why Wayne is so bankable.”
A judge signed the order releasing Wayne on $10,000 bond early Saturday evening, and Richman said that now that she knows about the case, Wayne will remain free on bond until the district attorney decides how to proceed. A spokesperson for the Ada County Jail — which was inundated by calls from angry fans about the arrest — confirmed that Wayne posted bond and was released Saturday.
Wayne was declared a fugitive after missing two court hearings in Fulton County in August, and Richman said the rapper didn’t receive any notices about the hearings because he’s been on tour for much of the past year. Late Monday, Richman said she had confirmed with Atlanta authorities that the notices sent to Wayne about the case were returned; a spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney’s office had not returned calls for comment by press time. The felony arrest warrant was issued after the case was presented to a grand jury in August, and they indicted him on three possession charges on September 11, according to a spokesperson for the Fulton County Clerk of Courts office.
A new hearing will be held on Thursday about Wayne’s failure to appear for the August court date. Richman said she expects the indictment “may be questionable” given the new information.
- Source: MTV News
Tour Dates still scheduled
Wayne can now continue his tour of the Northwest but will have to appear in a Georgia court next week to be formally charged. Following is Weezy’s tour itinerary according to Universal’s website:
10/7/2007 Redding, CA [Location Unknown]
10/8/2007 Seattle, WA [Location Unknown]
10/17/2007 Monroe, LA Monroe Civic Center Arena
10/19/2007 Dover, DE Delaware State University
10/20/2007 Fayetteville, NC [Location Unknown]
10/24/2007 Norfolk, VA [Location Unknown]
10/25/2007 Orangeburg, SC South Carolina State University
10/27/2007 Greensboro, NC North Carolina A&T University
