No, Busta Rhymes is not launching his own off-shoot of the Law & Order franchise. But the animated rapper is facing four separate trials for four separate charges: two involving incidents of assault, one for driving under the influence, and, for good measure, a fourth for a suspended license.
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Larry Stephen refused to consolidate the two charges of assault, ruling that Busta's attack on a fan and the kicking of a former employee remain individual cases. "The two assault cases cannot be consolidated," said lawyer Scott Leemon. "The decision today validated Busta's defenses to the assault cases. We detailed to the court that we have defense to these cases and the court agreed." Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, has refused the prosecution's offer to spend a year in jail as a punishment for his offenses.