REMY MA - REMY MA ADMITS SHOOTING

REMY MA ADMITS SHOOTING

LATEST: REMY MA has owned up to shooting a woman outside a Manhattan nightclub last year (07) - but insists the gun went off by accident. The hip-hop star - real name Remy Smith - is currently on trial in New York for allegedly shooting Makeda Barnes-Joseph in July (07) after a dispute over money. Smith has always maintained her innocence over the alleged incident and has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, gang assault and witness intimidation. However, in the trial's closing arguments on Monday (24Mar08), Smith's lawyer admitted that the rapper had shot Barnes-Joseph, but claimed the weapon had discharged accidentally during a scuffle. Attorney Ivan Fisher told the court: "There is no other explanation for why Remy Smith would have chosen that unique moment in time to shoot her." Makeda Barnes-Joseph, who was left critically wounded after the alleged shooting, recently dropped a $80 million (GBP40 million) lawsuit against the rapper in order to await the outcome of the star's trial. Jury deliberation over the case is due to begin on Tuesday (25Mar08). Smith faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted.