50 CENT - 50'S PAL YAYO CLEARED OF ASSAULT

50 CENT's longtime pal and rap sidekick TONY YAYO has been cleared of assault charges. Yayo, real name Marvin Bernard, was in court in New York on Thursday (14Feb08) when the case was dismissed. His co-defendant, Lowell Fletcher, came forward and told authorities the rapper had nothing to do with the attack, and had actually tried to restrain him. Yayo's lawyer, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ.com, "Today's proceedings have validated Mr. Bernard's claim he was falsely accused."