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September 26, 2005

"Do You Have a Verdict?"

The end, when it comes, seems swift and soft.

Only a single gasp, a muffled sob, escapes from Sigel's side of the courtroom when the jury's forewoman announces they have found the rapper "Not guilty" of attempted murder.

In all the jury finds Sigel not guilty on every charge the commonwealth brought—including aggravated assault and a firearms violation.

Michelle Brown-Derry collapses against a cousin and cries, her face quickly streaked with rivulets of tears.

Sigel's fiance, who sits behind her, throws her arms around Brown-Derry's shoulders.

Sigel's brother Duan allows himself only a subtle, satisfied smile.

Perri and Sigel hug.

The applause starts when Sigel steps out into the hallway, away from the sheriff's deputies.

Damon Dash throws both arms around the rapper, who could wind up acting as a cornerstone for his new Damon Dash Music Group. Then the procession travels slowly from courtroom 305 to the elevators, with Sigel receiving between 30 and 40 hugs and handshakes along the way.

By the time they arrived outside, the sidewalk outside the Criminal Justice Center was filled with media.

"I'm glad the jury did what was right," Sigel told them. "I'm glad justice was done."

Did he feel like he dodged a bullet?

"I feel like I got hit with a bullet when the charge came," said Sigel. "Now I feel like I can have my life back. I can get back to business, back to my family. Family first."

Then Perri spoke, telling the media the entire attempted murder charge had been the result of a money grab by the victim, who also filed a civil suit against Sigel—a suit that's still pending. "We've always maintained he's not guilty," said Perri. "We've maintained that all along."

And on they went with Sigel leading his entourage forward only to stop a second time by the Marriott, this time with Damon Dash standing alongside his rapper.

"He's an honorable man," Dash said of Sigel. "That's what we've been saying all along. He's a businessman. His State Property clothing line does $20 million a year. His last disc The B.Coming moved 500,000 units when he wasn't even around to promote it. I can't imagine what he can sell now that he's here."

What did it mean to Sigel to have Dash there every day?

"It's the same as having my brother here," the rapper said. "The same as having my family. It's not anything special. It's how it should be. He's here for me the same way I'd be here for him if he was going through something like this."

A 20-to-40-year jail sentence had been averted.

The sky had cracked open.

Beanie Sigel was free of the greatest legal threat he'd ever faced.

So on they went, inside the Marriott, where a television crew cornered the rapper for one last interview as he waited to check into a room—a victory suite—with his fiancee.

"All the attention on me the last few years," said Sigel, "people have finally gotten to see me. People see the movies and hear the music and they think that's me. I guess I'm good at what I do. But that's not me. That's entertainment—a character."

These are lines it seems unlikely he'll utter again if questioned by The Source, XXL or any of hip-hop's bibles.

But they're also lines a jury of 12 had just endorsed.

The commonwealth failed to prove its case.

Dwight Grant, the man also known as Beanie Sigel, the gangsta rapper, was not guilty.

So what will Dwight Grant/Beanie Sigel do now?

Will there be a party?

"No," he said quietly, shortly before throwing his arm around his fiancee and heading upstairs. "There's not gonna be any party."

Posted by steve at September 26, 2005 02:46 PM

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