JUVENILE - RAPPER JUVENILE CLEARED IN LAWSUIT

RAPPER JUVENILE CLEARED IN LAWSUIT

JUVENILE has been cleared in a lawsuit claiming the rapper was responsible for an off-duty police officer injuring her knee while trying to break up a mall fight involving the star in 1999. Following a week-long trial in Jacksonville, Florida, a six-member jury ruled in favour of the New Orleans-based rapper on Thursday (09NOV06). Juvenile, real name TERIUS GRAY, said after the ruling, "We got them, we got them, we got them. Just the fact that it's a rap artist against the police, that never happens. "Rappers never win. We never win against the police or the government." FRED ABBOTT, an attorney for the officer, MELISSA HUXLEY-BUJEDA, said he will file a motion for a new trial or an appeal. Abbott said, "It was a travesty of justice. One day justice will prevail." The rapper and some friends were asked to leave Regency Square Mall on 23 July (99), because their dress and language were in violation of mall policies, according to the lawsuit. When the group began using profanity, Huxley-Bujeda was called to issue a trespass warning. A scuffle broke out and the officer said she injured her knee while trying to control Juvenile. The rapper was arrested on charges of breach of the peace and resisting an officer with violence. The charges were later dropped. Huxley-Bujeda filed the lawsuit four years later, claiming she has had four surgeries and racked up $68,635 (GBP38,000) in medical bills. Juvenile's attorneys said Huxley-Bujeda suffered from degenerative arthritis and had hurt her knees approximately 35 times as a child from participating in sports. Abbott said her prior injuries were to her right knee and the basis of her lawsuit was her left knee.