NEW YORK — Rapper Ja Rule lost a bid Wednesday to keep a loaded gun found in his luxury car from being used against him in a weapons-possession case.
Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Richard Carruthers rejected the platinum-selling artist's argument that the gun was found during an unjustified police stop of his Maybach sports car after a July 2007 concert.
His lawyer, Stacey Richman, said outside court she disagreed with the judge's decision and would pursue other avenues to fight the charges.
Prosecutors said the traffic stop was proper because the chauffeured car was speeding and had a suspended registration and no insurance. Richman said authorities were looking for reasons to pull over Ja Rule and other rappers after the show, a claim prosecutors denied.
After stopping the $250,000 to $400,000 car, police said they smelled marijuana and found a .40-caliber semiautomatic gun in the rear driver's side door.
Carruthers threw out the rapper's statement to police that he had "a little bit of weed" in his pocket. He isn't charged with drug possession. FOR MORE OF THE STORY LOG ON TO THE HUFFINGTON POST.COM
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