Eric B. Avoids Jail Time in 2002 Legal Case

Eric B.—one half of hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim—was recently arrested on an outstanding warrant that was issued back in 2002, after the rapper failed to appear in court for sentencing in a legal case where he had pleaded guilty to eluding arrest and aggravated assault. The rapper spent two weeks in jail before making bail on November 12. Now, instead of jail time, a judge has given Eric B. a year’s probation, as The New York Times reports. Prosecutors originally intended to recommend a year-long jail term for him.

The original charges stemmed from a 2001 altercation with a police officer, in which Eric B. (born Eric Barrier) failed to stop his car after police signaled for him to pull over. During his most recent court appearance, the rapper’s lawyer argued that he only missed the 2002 sentencing date because of bad legal advice from his then-lawyer, Paul Bergrin, the former criminal defense lawyer who is currently serving six life sentences in federal prison after being convicted of murder, racketeering, and other crimes.

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork