Posted on 05/23/2009 5:46:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
An Atlanta event promoter charged with fatally shooting rapper Dolla at the Beverly Center pleaded not guilty today to murder and two counts of assault.
Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, is accused of gunning down Roderick Anthony Burton II, known professionally as Dolla, and shooting at two other people in the Atlanta rapper’s entourage Monday in the valet area of the popular Westside mall.
Prosecutors today also amended the charges to include an extra firearms offense of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm, which caused great bodily injury and death.
Authorities allege that Berry, who had an altercation with Burton at an Atlanta strip club this month, fired at Burton, 21, and two people who were with him. Berry, who fled the scene hours after the shooting, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport with the purported murder weapon tucked in this waistband.
Berry’s attorney, Howard R. Price, said his client did shoot the rapper but in self-defense.
"At worst it's a manslaughter case, at best it's a case of self-defense," he told The Times this week.
Price said Berry and Burton clashed at the Platinum 21 Adult Entertainment club in Atlanta. The pair then ran into each other Monday in the restroom of P.F. Chang's China Bistro in the Beverly Center in what Price described as a chance encounter.
Price said the rapper threatened Berry, who decided to leave the restaurant. When Berry went to the mall's valet area for his car, Burton and two other people followed him, the attorney said. Berry thought Burton was reaching for his waistband and fired his weapon.
"He perceived that his life was in danger," Price said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
RIP Dolla. You were twice the rapper 50 Cent is.
Don’t tell me...the shooter had a bad childhood.
Anyone who shoots a rapper can’t be all bad!
That pun was better than any rap I’ve ever heard.
Bingo! Good one - with no change due.
This looks like it could be a justified whack....
In any event - it can’t be too bad to erase another foul mouthed rapper.
Yes, and half the man Two Buck Chuck is!
So a rapper promoter from ATL shot a rapper in LA over an old fight. Of course it was self-defense.
LOL.
Which is still worth nothing
First Buddy Holly, now Dolla! The day the music died!
In my world, people like that would get a new camaro.
On the other hand, I was one of the ones rooting for a new east coast west coast rap war back in the day.
Fortunately Dolla passed away before Obama could devalue him further.
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