Rapper Lil' Kim charged with perjury, obstructing justice over comments about 2001 shootout

<br>NEW YORK (AP) _ Rapper Lil' Kim was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit perjury, making false statements and obstructing justice in connection with a 2001 shootout involving her entourage

Wednesday, April 14th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Rapper Lil' Kim was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit perjury, making false statements and obstructing justice in connection with a 2001 shootout involving her entourage that left one man wounded.

She turned herself in at U.S. District Court in Manhattan, where she was scheduled to appear in court later in the day.

Also charged in the case were Damion Butler, one of her managers, bodyguard Suif Jackson and a friend, Monique Dopwell.

Court papers unsealed Wednesday listed the rapper as Kimberly Jones, but noted that she is known professionally as Lil' Kim.

Jones, who lives in Englewood, N.J., was accused in an indictment of not cooperating with authorities investigating a Feb. 25, 2001, shootout involving members of her entourage and associates of a rival hip-hopper outside the offices of radio station WQHT, or Hot 97.

``These charges are baseless and I'm confident that the case against her will be completely dismissed,'' said her lawyer, Mel Sachs.

Authorities said they believe the shooting happened as Lil' Kim's entourage was leaving the radio studio and the entourage of the rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga was arriving. One man in the duo's entourage was wounded in the ensuing shootout.

The indictment said Jackson, Butler and at least one other person fired guns. It did not specify a motive for the shootout.

In the indictment, prosecutors alleged that Jones refused on the day after the shooting to tell police the identities of anyone who had accompanied her to an appearance at the radio station.

On three separate occasions last year before a federal grand jury in Manhattan, she testified falsely, saying Butler was not at the radio station the day of the shooting and that she did not know Jackson, prosecutors alleged.

Sachs said he accompanied his client to the grand jury appearances but was not permitted to sit with her as she testified.

Police have said they believe the shooting happened as Lil' Kim's entourage was leaving the radio studio and the entourage of the rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga. One man in the duo's entourage was wounded.

After Lil' Kim surrendered Wednesday, she was processed by U.S. marshals and interviewed by the federal pretrial services department prior to a court appearance.

Lawyers for the other defendants could not immediately be identified.