As Tab “Turk “ Virgil awaits trial for attempted murder for his alleged involvement in a shooting that left a police officer wounded in Memphis Tennessee, an attorney for the rapper spoke with AllHipHop.com, stating the Virgil may be free in as little as three weeks. Javier Bailey is one of the attorneys representing Virgil, who is currently incarcerated for allegedly shooting a SWAT team member during a raid on an apartment in which he and a man named Sean Jackson were visiting. Federal agents arrested Virgil on one charge of attempted murder in January 2004. Members of the Memphis SWAT team raided an apartment where Virgil had been residing while recording his third solo album, Penitentiary Chances. Police have stated they were executing a search warrant seeking drugs and assault weapons. A small amount of drugs were uncovered, but no assault weapons were found, according to reports. "It is my assumption that when they went to the apartment, knowing that he was a rapper, so they approached with the intentions of shooting because they thought there was going to be violence." Bailey told AllHipHop.com. "That’s the only reasonable explanation because they used a [tear] bomb upon entrance which controlled everyone in the house. But they still went in firing." Virgil has maintained his innocence and told investigators he was hiding in a closet when police raided the apartment. The New Orleans based rapper also claimed that cops failed to identify themselves and began shooting while he was in the closet. Memphis’ Shelby County detectives allege that Turk shot at deputies during the drug raid. It was later concluded that another officer was injured after being shot by a fellow SWAT team member in a friendly fire incident, but Virgil was charged with seriously wounding another officer who was shot during the raid. According to Bailey, Virgil may be looking at the conclusion of his federal trial in less than 3 weeks. Bailey revealed that recent ballistic evidence that linked the former Cash Money rapper to the shooting has been returned as inconclusive, raising doubt that the rapper fired a weapon. Last week, a judge gave prosecutors a new trial date of August 1 as they attempted to locate Jackson, whose absence could prove to be a critical blow to the prosecutions case. Bailey also said there is now an unidentified eye witness who was hiding under a bed in the next room that the defense may call to testify on behalf of Virgil. The witness also had the same gun residue that is described in the crime report on his hands as Turk did. Bailey remained confident that a jury would view the evidence in favor of Virgil and that the charges would eventually be dismissed. “I am confident that the entire case will end up being thrown out both on the federal side and state because the evidence just doesn’t back up their claims.” Virgil was a member of The Hot Boys, one of Cash Money Records’ most popular groups that also featured Juvenile, Lil’ Wayne and B.G.
As Tab “Turk
“ Virgil awaits trial for attempted murder for his alleged involvement in
a shooting that left a police officer wounded in Memphis Tennessee, an attorney
for the rapper spoke with AllHipHop.com, stating the Virgil may be free in as
little as three weeks. Javier Bailey is
one of the attorneys representing Virgil, who is currently incarcerated for
allegedly shooting a SWAT team member during a raid on an apartment in which
he and a man named Sean Jackson were visiting.
Federal agents
arrested Virgil on one charge of attempted murder in January 2004.
Members of the
Memphis SWAT team raided an apartment where Virgil had been residing while recording
his third solo album, Penitentiary Chances.
Police have stated
they were executing a search warrant seeking drugs and assault weapons. A small
amount of drugs were uncovered, but no assault weapons were found, according
to reports.
"It is my
assumption that when they went to the apartment, knowing that he was a rapper,
so they approached with the intentions of shooting because they thought there
was going to be violence." Bailey told AllHipHop.com. "That’s the
only reasonable explanation because they used a [tear] bomb upon entrance which
controlled everyone in the house. But they still went in firing."
Virgil has maintained
his innocence and told investigators he was hiding in a closet when police raided
the apartment. The New Orleans based rapper also claimed that cops failed to
identify themselves and began shooting while he was in the closet.
Memphis’ Shelby
County detectives allege that Turk shot at deputies during the drug raid. It
was later concluded that another officer was injured after being shot by a fellow
SWAT team member in a friendly fire incident, but Virgil was charged with seriously
wounding another officer who was shot during the raid.
According to Bailey,
Virgil may be looking at the conclusion of his federal trial in less than 3
weeks.
Bailey revealed that recent ballistic evidence that linked the former Cash Money
rapper to the shooting has been returned as inconclusive, raising doubt that
the rapper fired a weapon.
Last week, a judge
gave prosecutors a new trial date of August 1 as they attempted to locate Jackson,
whose absence could prove to be a critical blow to the prosecutions case.
Bailey also said
there is now an unidentified eye witness who was hiding under a bed in the next
room that the defense may call to testify on behalf of Virgil. The witness also
had the same gun residue that is described in the crime report on his hands
as Turk did.
Bailey remained confident that a jury would view the evidence in favor of Virgil
and that the charges would eventually be dismissed.
“I am confident
that the entire case will end up being thrown out both on the federal side and
state because the evidence just doesn’t back up their claims.”
Virgil was a member of The
Hot Boys, one of Cash Money Records’ most popular groups that also featured
Juvenile, Lil’ Wayne and B.G.
