Lil’ Kim’s bodyguard was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in a 2001 shootout outside the office of a New York radio station.
Suif Jackson (a.k.a. C-Gutta) was sentenced on Wednesday for firing a gun at least 20 times during the shootout. Jackson, who admitted to his involvement, was handed the lengthy sentence because of a series of prior convictions for gun-related crimes, according to The Associated Press.
Kim is scheduled to stand trial on February 28 on charges of lying to a grand jury about the same incident (see “Lil’ Kim Pleads Not Guilty, Released On $500,000 Bail”). The rapper was indicted in April for telling the jury she was not present at the time of the shooting and did not know at least one of the suspects involved. She pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in New York.
The shootout took place in February 2001 when Kim and her entourage left the office of radio station WQHT-FM (Hot 97) as Capone, of rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga, and his companions were arriving (see “Shooting Rattles Radio Station After Lil’ Kim Visit”).
One man, Efrain Ocasio, was shot in the back by Jackson during the altercation. Jackson’s lawyer reportedly claims his client believed he was firing in self-defense against a member of Capone’s group.
Jackson will finish a state prison sentence which ends August 7, 2006 for an unrelated incident before beginning the federal sentence.