Dre Attacker Pleads Guilty
Jimmy James Johnson, the man who slugged Dr. Dre and touched off a massive brawl at the Vibe Music Awards last year, has flip-flopped.
After entering an innocent plea to assault charges in January, Johnson reconsidered and pleaded guilty Wednesday in Los Angeles to sucker punching the West Coast rap icon.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner sentenced Johnson, 27, to one year in county jail and three years of probation. She also ordered Johnson to keep away from Dre.
Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles District Attorney, says Johnson will get credit for time served--he's been incarcerated since Jan. 7--and "good time", i.e., good behavior, while behind bars.
Witnesses said Johnson approached and asked for autograph from Dre, who was just about to go on stage to accept a lifetime achievement award at the Nov. 15 ceremony. Johnson then hit Dre in the face, and then all hell erupted.
G-Unit rapper Young Buck rushed to Dre's defense and was among a mob that engulfed Johnson.
Police say that Buck stabbed Johnson, who wound up hospitalized with a punctured lung.
Despite his plea, Johnson has kept mum on a motive. Authorities initially explored a possible connection between Johnson and rap boss Marion "Suge" Knight, who has been engaged in a bitter feud with Dre since the two had a falling out, prompting Dre to leave Death Row Records. But no evidence has surfaced linking Johnson and Knight.
Knight, who was present at the time of the Dre attack, has denied any involvement in the incident.
As for Young Buck, whose real name is David Darnell Brown, he has pleaded not guilty to charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon. The Nashville-based hip-hopster remains on free on bail and is due back in California Sept. 26 for a pretrial hearing.
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