Star's Attorney Asks Court for Dismissal, Offers Explanation for Jock's Comments
Ben Brafman, the lawyer of New York-based radio personality Star of the "Star & Buc Wild Morning Show," asked a court to dismiss charges against his client yesterday (May 31).
As previously reported, Star (born Troi Torain) faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, after threatening to find and sexually assault the four-year-old daughter of DJ Envy, an on-air personality at Hot 97, Power 105.1's rival station.
Star's threats, which took place during a Power 105.1 broadcast earlier this month, included hurling of racial sluts to describe Envy's wife and child. The infamous disc jockey was eventually fired after New York Councilman John C. Liu and members of the NAACP and Social Action Committee of Philadelphia called for his termination.
Star, 42, was arrested two days later and was formally charged with child endangerment as well as criminal possession of a weapon and failure to report a change of address on his gun permit, which allows him to use the weapon only for target practice. He was then released after posting $2000 for bail.
Before his arrest, Star issued an apology via his attorney, who called Star's remarks "unsuitable and inappropriate" and claimed his client was reacting to threats made by DJ Envy.
During Tuesday's hearing, Brafman claimed other Hot 97 hosts also directed threats towards Star. Brafman cited racial taunts from Hot 97 morning host Miss Jones who called Star's mother a "prostitute" and his father a "tar black Sambo."
According to Brafman, Jones also called Star a "faggot" who "liked boys" and also warned that DJ Envy and others were waiting for him outside the studio.
"If we are going to criminalize comments made by warring deejays in competing radio broadcasts, then the repeated threats against Mr. Torain must be dealt with by authorizing the immediate arrest of the offending Hot 97's deejays," Brafman said in Manhattan Criminal Court. "This case either does not belong in criminal court at all, or if it does, the Hot 97 DJs should both be arrested as well, if you apply the same legal theory used to authorize the arrest of Mr. Torain."
Brafman also blamed political pressure for the prosecution of Star.
Prosecutors had no comment after hearing Brafman's plea and they also declined to say if they were looking into comments aired on Hot 97.
Kenneth Thompson, who is representing Envy's wife, Gia Casey, in a potential civil suit, said none of the taunts aired on Hot 97 justified Star's attack on Casey's wife and their young daughter.
"It's an act of desperation to avoid Star being held accountable for his despicable words about a child," Thompson said.
Five days after his firing, Star was officially replaced by Big Tigger of BET's "106 & Park" fame and Power 105.1's Egypt.
As previously reported, Star (born Troi Torain) faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, after threatening to find and sexually assault the four-year-old daughter of DJ Envy, an on-air personality at Hot 97, Power 105.1's rival station.
Star's threats, which took place during a Power 105.1 broadcast earlier this month, included hurling of racial sluts to describe Envy's wife and child. The infamous disc jockey was eventually fired after New York Councilman John C. Liu and members of the NAACP and Social Action Committee of Philadelphia called for his termination.
Star, 42, was arrested two days later and was formally charged with child endangerment as well as criminal possession of a weapon and failure to report a change of address on his gun permit, which allows him to use the weapon only for target practice. He was then released after posting $2000 for bail.
Before his arrest, Star issued an apology via his attorney, who called Star's remarks "unsuitable and inappropriate" and claimed his client was reacting to threats made by DJ Envy.
During Tuesday's hearing, Brafman claimed other Hot 97 hosts also directed threats towards Star. Brafman cited racial taunts from Hot 97 morning host Miss Jones who called Star's mother a "prostitute" and his father a "tar black Sambo."
According to Brafman, Jones also called Star a "faggot" who "liked boys" and also warned that DJ Envy and others were waiting for him outside the studio.
"If we are going to criminalize comments made by warring deejays in competing radio broadcasts, then the repeated threats against Mr. Torain must be dealt with by authorizing the immediate arrest of the offending Hot 97's deejays," Brafman said in Manhattan Criminal Court. "This case either does not belong in criminal court at all, or if it does, the Hot 97 DJs should both be arrested as well, if you apply the same legal theory used to authorize the arrest of Mr. Torain."
Brafman also blamed political pressure for the prosecution of Star.
Prosecutors had no comment after hearing Brafman's plea and they also declined to say if they were looking into comments aired on Hot 97.
Kenneth Thompson, who is representing Envy's wife, Gia Casey, in a potential civil suit, said none of the taunts aired on Hot 97 justified Star's attack on Casey's wife and their young daughter.
"It's an act of desperation to avoid Star being held accountable for his despicable words about a child," Thompson said.
Five days after his firing, Star was officially replaced by Big Tigger of BET's "106 & Park" fame and Power 105.1's Egypt.
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