Murder Inc. bosses acquitted

[kingwell]

NEW YORK (AP) -- A rap mogul known for his gangster persona and for producing chart-topping acts under the label Murder Inc. was acquitted Friday of federal charges alleging he laundered drug money for a notorious crack kingpin.

Irving Lorenzo and his brother, Christopher, were found not guilty of money laundering at a trial that was closely followed by some of the music industry's biggest stars.

Supporters in the gallery erupted in applause as the jury's findings were announced.

"We did it! We did it!" Irving Lorenzo shouted as his lawyers carried him out of the courthouse. "In this case, they had it 100 percent wrong."

Courtroom supporters of Lorenzo, who goes by the name Irv Gotti, included Jay-Z, Fat Joe and Russell Simmons, along with Ja Rule and Ashanti, platinum-selling artists signed by Murder Inc. (Watch as the stars come out for the Lorenzos' trial -- 1:22)

Ja Rule had labeled the case -- which could've put the Lorenzo brothers behind bars for 20 years -- "a war against hip hop."

In closing arguments, prosecutor Carolyn Pokorny told jurors that the Lorenzos struck an illicit deal in the late 1990s with Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, who she described as "one of the biggest, baddest, most dangerous drug lords in New York City."

The defense countered that the brothers were victims of guilt by association.

"There's nothing illegal about knowing a criminal, about socializing with a criminal, even doing business with a criminal, unless you commit a crime," said defense attorney Gerald Shargel. "Irv and Chris Lorenzo committed no crime."

McGriff allegedly funneled more than $1 million in drug money, much of it from Baltimore, Maryland, through Murder Inc. in return for serving as the Lorenzos' protector and enforcer. A government witness who once worked at the label testified that he saw a "huge amount" of money delivered in shopping bags and a shoe box in 2000.

Prosecutors said Murder Inc. cut tens of thousands of dollars in checks for sham corporations controlled by McGriff, including a movie company that produced a straight-to-video film called "Crime Partners 2000." The label also covered his expenses as he traveled around the country masquerading as an entertainment executive, Pokorny said.

The defense portrayed Irving Lorenzo as a legitimate businessman who went from rags to riches by taking the Gotti name -- an ode to the late mob boss -- as a sales ploy and teaming with Def Jam, a subsidiary of Universal Music, to start Murder Inc. He invested in McGriff's movie because he was an old friend from their Queens neighborhood in New York City, Shargel said.

"Even if Supreme McGriff was the biggest drug dealer in the world, and even if 'Crime Partners' was the worst film in the history of American entertainment, there is nothing illegal about giving backing to a movie," he said.

Murder Inc. changed its name to The Inc. last year after executives said the label's image was hurt by the racketeering case. (Full story)

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[eKardz]

good for them.  im glad of their support.

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

congratz to the Lorenzos

[makaveli11]

good for them.  im glad of their support.

[Ðøšïå]

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

^^LOL, funny ass pic

[Bch]

congratulations to the whole .INC  family,
thats a big big big time win there for all of their lives at that record label.

[CRAFTY]

That's good to hear.