A Year For Lil’ Kim

Lil’ Kim was sentenced to one year and one day in jail for perjury and conspiracy, a term far less than the three years and seven months sought by prosecutors.

The rapper told U.S. District Judge Gerard Lynch she regretted lying to a federal grand jury about a 2001 shootout outside a Manhattan radio station. She said she was a “God-fearing good person.”

Lynch said he weighed the public perception of sending a young black entertainer to prison far longer than Martha Stewart, who spent five months in prison and is currently under house arrest.

Still, the New York City judge said Lil’ Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, deserved more time because she lied about a violent crime, not the white-collar scheme that convicted Stewart. He also noted that Jones took the witness stand at her own trial and repeated her lies.

“You sat right next to me there and stared in the eyes of the jurors, and you tried to charm them and you tried to fake them out,” Lynch said.

“At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do, but I now know it was wrong,” Jones responded, her voice breaking.

The judge did give her credit for eventually admitting that she lied to protect members of her entourage.

Jones also said she wanted to “take complete blame” for the actions of her assistant, Monique Dopwell, who is awaiting sentencing for the same crimes.

The trial centered on an incident outside New York’s Hot 97 studio, when members of Jones’ group confronted rap group Capone n’ Noreaga about the song “Bang, Bang,” which contains an insult to Jones from rival Foxy Brown. The ensuing shootout left one man injured.

Before the grand jury and during the trial, Jones said she did not notice two of her close friends at the scene of the shootout – including manager Damion Butler. Both men pleaded guilty to gun charges.

Jurors saw radio station security photos that showed Butler opening a door for the rapper.

Jones was ordered to report for prison September 19th.