BUSTA RHYMES - BUSTA FINED OVER FAN BEATING

Troubled rapper BUSTA RHYMES has been fined $100,000 (GBP51,000) after avoiding criminal charges over a September 2005 fight with a fan. Fan MELVIN SMITH claimed the hip-hop star, real name TREVOR SMITH, and his bodyguard TROY GREEN attacked him after he attempted to get an autograph outside a New York City deli. Melvin Smith said he received four stitches to a wound above his eye following the alleged attack. Last month (DEC06), a Manhattan Supreme Court judge found Rhymes and Green civilly libel for the injuries, but the rapper was not prosecuted. The TOUCH IT hitmaker is no stranger to legal troubles - last week (04JAN07) he was released on bail after being charged with assaulting employee EDDIE HATCHETT outside his New York office on 26 December (06). He also stands accused of assaulting another fan on Randall's Island, New York, in August (06).

07/01/2007 14:33