Atlantic Records stands behind rapper T.I., but Judge puts off ruling   Sunday, October 21st, 2007

Dang, I wouldn't mind having Atlantic Records or Warner Music as a friend.  With friends like that, who needs an Uzi?

CEO Atlantic Craig Kallman, President of Atlantic Julie Greenwald,
TI, and CEO WMG, Lyor Cohen. Would you want someone vouching for you
whose name is pronounced "Liar?"  (Kidding, kidding...don't come after me!)


T.I. with Atlantic Records CEO Kevin Liles

CNN's Rusty Dornin calls it the "most amazing" bond hearing
she has witnessed.  How touching

Rapper T.I. is still in jail after his arrest last Saturday for machine gun charges.  CEO's of Warner Music (Lyor Cohen) and Atlantic Records (Kevin Liles), and other record executives offered to post bonds totaling $1.4 million, and T.I.'s defense attorneys offered to have bail set at $2.2 million.

But a U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Baverman said he hadn't heard enough, and won't rule until next week on the bail, leaving T.I., 27, whose real name is Clifford Harris, to wait in jail until Friday, October 26th, when Judge Baverman will decide whether or not to grant it.

Defense attorneys for T.I. (whom I refuse to call Clifford) offered 24-hour monitoring with drug exams during the bail period, but Baverman wasn't ready to rule yet.  Judge Baverman seemed impressed with T.I., though, and commended him for his charitable work.

"On the whole," Baverman said, "Mr. Harris has used his fame and fortune for good."  He's "an exceptionally gifted and talented musician," who "has reached out to underprivileged communities with great generosity."

"At the same time, on the same day that's probably the most important in his career," the judge continued, "he shows up armed to buy machine guns and silencers.  So I am very concerned about that dichotomy, somebody who has so many gifts and does so well, and then risks it all by showing up to a gun dealer."

Machine guns and silencers scare me.  But still - innocent until proven guilty, yo!  It's just the bail hearing, not the trial - T.I. is pleading not guilty to the weapons charges.

According to a poll by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 70% of you think T.I. should be released on the $2 million cash bond plus any other conditions the judge feels appropriate.

   

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