Known in some circles as P. Diddy's "fall guy", rapper and one time P. Diddy protege, Jamal "Shyne" Barrow was found guilty of first-degree assault, gun possession, and reckless endangerment in a 1999 New York Club shooting incident.

The fracas broke out on December 27, 1999, at a Manhattan nightclub where Shyne, Sean Combs with then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez and their entourage had been partying. Around 3 a.m., Combs and Shyne allegedly began arguing with another group of patrons. Someone threw money at Combs, a gesture of disrespect, and guns started going off. Three bystanders were shot - patron's Robert Thompson and Natanya Reuben and club's bouncer, Julius Jones. Shyne, who police found with a pistol in his waistband, was arrested after bystanders identified him as one of the shooters.

Combs, Lopez, bodyguard Anthoney Jones and driver Wardel Fenderson fled the scene, but were later apprehended. Lopez was released, but the other three were charged on various weapons charges after a stolen gun was found under the front seat. Later another gun was located after a witness tipped off police stating that they saw someone in the Comb's car toss a gun out the car window.

No charges were filed against Lopez. Combs and his bodyguard, Anthony "Wolf" Jones, were acquitted of gun possession charges and Shyne received a 10-year prison. Barrow has always claimed he acted in self-defense and only fired his gun after the other group, Matthew 'Scar' Allen and his crew began shooting.

During the trial, Shyne's lawyer, Murray Richman, argued that a ballistics report proved that the bullets which stuck the victims were not from Shyne's gun and that the rapper fired shots into the air and not into the crowd. However, it was not enough to get Shyne out of being convicted of first-degree assault and being sent to prison for ten years.

Diddy called into Hot97 recently and expressed excitement at Shyne’s impending release.

“It’s a blessing that he’s coming home…I spoke to him like a couple of weeks ago and he sounded like he was in good spirits. I know he can’t wait to get home. I know he is definitely going to heat the whole scene up. He was definitely one of [many] talented young artists that I had the pleasure to work with. I’m quite sure he’s been using his time wisely and has some heat.”

Props to About.com and HipHopDx

*UPDATE* From NahRight

Shyne Remains In Custody Due To Immigration Status

The homie Jayson Rodriguez broke the news.

It looks like Shyne’s homecoming is on hold for the moment.

The former Bad Boy rapper (born Jamal Barrow) was scheduled to be released from prison Tuesday (October 6) after serving more than nine years of a 10-year sentence in connection with the 2001 Club New York shooting involving Diddy and Jennifer Lopez.

But his release is now under review, as representatives for the rapper revealed to MTV News that the Brooklyn MC is being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at an unspecified facility in Western New York State. Officials are determining whether or not to deport the rapper, who was born in Belize, a rep explained.

“Shyne is currently in federal custody while his future immigration status is determined,” the rep said in a message to MTV News. Shyne attorney Oscar Michelen emphasized to MTV News on Tuesday afternoon that Shyne has not been released, contrary to media reports.

 

In August, a lawyer for Shyne said the rapper was “90 percent of the way home” after a judge ruled on his post-release supervision. The rapper received two and a half years of post-release supervision (probation, essentially) stemming from his conviction on first-degree assault and a host of other lesser charges. At the time of his sentencing, an official with the Department of Correction confirmed to MTV News that Shyne would have to complete at least eight years and seven months of his prison sentence.

For years, though, Shyne’s release date has been the subject of much confusion. Michelen acknowledged the subject had become urban legend, as the rumors started yearly that his client would be released. Michelen told MTV News in August that he believed a clerical error led to the incorrect assumptions.

“I think [the basis for the rumor] was created by a computer,” he explained, “because the Department of Corrections has a Web site where you can do an inmate lookup. And if you have the information, it will show you that [Shyne's] earlier release date was originally April [of this year] and then June. And we don’t now how that was in there. But it showed that. And then what would happen is before a release date, [an inmate] would get produced before a parole board, and in the institution, there would be rumors that [Shyne] was up for parole. I guess inmates or guards would spread the rumor.”

At press time, the status of Shyne’s release from prison remained unclear.

 

Props to NahRight