Snoop Dogg Avoids Prison

Rapper Pleads No Contest To Gun And Drug Charges

(AP)  A stone-faced Snoop Dogg pleaded no contest to felony gun and drug charges Wednesday and avoided what could have been a yearslong prison sentence.

The 35-year-old rapper, born Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., agreed to five years' probation and 800 hours of community service. He faced charges of gun possession by a felon and sale or transportation of marijuana.

He said little other than "no contest" when the charges were read.

Snoop Dogg's recent arrests marked the end of a relatively long trouble-free stretch for the rapper. He has burnished his image in recent years with appearances in mainstream movies and by starting a youth football league.

He was arrested at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif., last Oct. 26 on suspicion of transporting marijuana. Police later found a gun at his home. If convicted at trial, he could have faced up to four years in prison.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling placed conditions on the probation, including that only 400 hours of the community service could involve the youth football league.

The judge also ruled that Snoop Dogg could not have any gang members in his entourage and must notify the probation department before leaving the state. The rapper must also provide authorities a DNA sample and he must have a medical permit if he uses marijuana.

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Photos: Celebrity Mug Shots

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The rapper caused a sensation when he arrived in a fur-collared black leather jacket, T-shirt and sequined jeans.

Teenagers screeched when the music star strutted down a hallway to the courtroom. Court security ordered them to stop taking pictures.

Defense attorney Donald Etra said outside court that Snoop Dogg smokes marijuana because he has migraines and has a medical permit under state law.

Etra said Snoop Dogg's security staff and drivers are all currently licensed by the state and they and his entourage do not include gang members.

"Snoop's position is he wants to give children and teenagers an example to follow," Etra said of the football league.

Etra said that Snoop Dogg "recognizes he got a great deal" given his prior convictions.

If he violates probation he will be sentenced to three years in state prison. The two charges to which he pleaded do not count as strikes under the three-strikes law because they did not involve violence, said district attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.

Snoop Dogg also faces separate felony charges stemming from the Sept. 27 discovery of a collapsible baton in his computer bag by a security screener at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Authorities allege the baton was a dangerous weapon. Snoop Dogg has said it was a prop for a video he was filming in New York and pleaded not guilty.

Etra called those charges "bogus."

"We intend to vigorously defend them," the attorney said.

Snoop Dogg was convicted in 1990 of cocaine possession and charged with gun possession after a 1993 traffic stop. He pleaded guilty in exchange for three years' probation and a promise to make public-service announcements against violence.

He was acquitted of a murder charge in 1996 after the death of an alleged street-gang member killed by gunfire from the vehicle in which Snoop Dogg was traveling.

Agnim:

I personally don't care what names people want to call each other. I don't care if people call me a *ag, it doesn't matter to me--it's all in the way someone uses a word that counts, and even then, they are just words.

I think people should be able to use whatever words they want. I know what you're trying to say about the friends/enemies thing, but if one is going to get offended at someone using a word because they're not the right race/religion/belief-system/culture, maybe they should think about their own use of the word.

If one really breaks it down, EVERYONE is racist and/or prejudice against something. I have no problem with anyone if they're not trying to act like a thug or a badass, or constantly trying to prove how much testosterone they have. When people act overly-machoistic and treat women like *** and act like they're better for it, especially when it is expected of them because of who they associate with and/or where they live, the color of their skin is the last thing on my mind. There are thuggish people in every circle, but "gang" culture seems to be the biggest and it draws in a lot of people. It brings "hope" to kids who have been picked on or feel "whimpy" to get a gun and join a group of people who give them more respect than what they received elsewhere. It's a very sad situation.

[ogdd223]

snoop and imus make a mistake and its to bad blame every one for it imus go to xm radio with howard snoop keep coaching they will plant something on you anyway just to get you it was a mistake forgive they have said they were sorry let it ride

[hermit22]

snoop dog weasles by.

it doesn't matter what color you are when you have money. snoop dog and imus should go hand in hand off toward the sunset. by by. tut tut.

[gunownerdan]

http://www.leap.cc
http://www.a-human-right.com

I think if a word is wrong for one race to say, it should be wrong for all races to say. The double-standards we have now actually promotes racism.

Rock used to = rebellion. Now rock = commercialization and now rap = rebellion. Unfortunately, neither genre has changed much in 13 years. Rock is still grunge mixed with Korn and Linkin Park, and most rap has simply become more and more refined in its pro-gangster messages.

It sucks that when poor black communities really needed our help, we did nothing, and they had to form their own culture to survive: Gangster mentality. The 80%u2019s were an interesting period, with the government selling crack to poor black communities.

Now that gangster mentality has been getting more popular and has been since the mid 90%u2019s, it no longer has to do with being poor, it has to do with being popular, especially in the public school system where if you%u2019re not able to jive with the mannerisms and such, you will for sure be picked on to no end. Modern day middle-to-high school males have to come to much stricter standards for machoism and masculinity than just 15 years ago thanks to gangster mentality.

I think gangster-affiliated groups should not be allowed airplay or retail sales. Online and magazine options should be the only methods to buy it.

Am I a "racist"? No, I'm simply against gang culture.

[ricardosolar]

White men have been getting away with murder (literally) for centuries, so quit your *** complaining. And don't be mad that you (white men) have made having money your "get out of jail free" card and you are no longer the only ones that can afford them.

[agnim]

You go, bway, Snoop.
They just trying to keep a good man down; but what's new. It's 21st Century slavery in an America that is still in the dark ages of racism.

[olebd]

It sure must be great to be a black, gangsta, hippy thug circus clown from the hood. It seems like they rule this country these days with their trend setting, clothing lines, fragrances, over-bloated bank accounts, negative chanting over the same old back beats, selling out, getting high, flashy jewelery, parties and ho's, molding young minds to be just like them. With no apparent backlash from the system anymore for fear it might not be PC.

Just makes him more rich and more loveable, doesn't it?

Thank you all for your support.

[hypnotoad72]

Cordozar is a really cool name. Why did he opt for the pseudonym 'Snoop Dogg'?