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Chopper Misses Court Date
 Read 812 Times Since Posted on 0000-00-00 Former Da Band member Chopper is currently jailed in a Georgia detention center and may be facing jail time from an incident that occurred in Baltimore, MD when he was just 16 years old. According to the Baltimore Examiner, 22-year-old Chopper (born Kevin Barnes), is now under bench warrant for failing to appear in court over 2001 charges that he committed robbery with a BB gun. While Chopper's attorney, Paul Gardner, told the Baltimore County judge on Wednesday (February 28) the rapper was unable to appear in court because he is currently imprisoned at Georgia's Gwinnett Country Detention Center, Judge Patrick Stringer opted to issue a bench warrant for Barnes' arrest. He set bail at $50,000. Best known for a stint on MTV's "Makin Da Band," Chopper was signed to Bad Boy Entertainment, first as a member of Da Band and later as a solo artist. Police arrested Chopper last August in Atlanta after they discovered the old Baltimore County warrant during a traffic stop. Chopper, who is also known as Young City, got into trouble in Maryland as a 16-year-old, when on Sept. 29, 2001, he allegedly approached a couple near the Eastpoint Mall, while riding his mountain bike. According to court records, Chopper flashed a gun and took $90 in cash from the man's pocket. Chopper was arrested at the scene of the crime and made his first court appearance, but according to his attorney, after he didn't hear from the court again he believed the case was dropped. Gardner argued that Chopper had not been trying to hide from the justice system. "He hasn't been hiding," Gardner argued to the judge. "He's been on TV in front of 30 million people. ... He's been on MTV. He's been with Sean "Didy" Combs. He's been enjoying his career." "He has a history of showing up, and he maintains his innocence," Gardner added. Chopper's attorney requested that the case be postponed; arguing that the rapper's
future as a musician could be jeopardized if forced to serve jail time. "I'm
astounded by the judge's decision," Gardner told the Examiner. "This
judge is putting in danger a million-dollar deal over a BB gun when he was 16.
If he's in jail, he can't record. Then there's no record deal." Chopper
is currently being jailed at the Gwinnet County Detention Center in Georgia.
He was arrested last week on charges of aggravated assault, simple battery and
obstructing a law enforcement officer after a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.
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