Judge Ito Would Be Proud

Hip-Hop Producers Get Acquittal, Then Hugs, From Jurors (NYT)

No surprises here: Justice in da house. I think I need a hug, too. Remember what happened during closing arguments?

"Rap royalty turned out in force yesterday in a star-studded show of support for Irving (Irv Gotti) and Christopher (Chris Gotti) Lorenzo during contentious closing arguments at the music moguls' trial. The brothers, who are accused of laundering drug money for one of New York's most notorious cocaine kingpins, made sure there were front row seats for Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Ashanti and Ja Rule. A court clerk even bounced an official from the Brooklyn U.S. attorney's office to make room for rotund rapper Fat Joe."