'Puff Daddy' pleads not guilty to bribery charges

March 1, 2000
Web posted at: 2:37 a.m. EST (0737 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hip-hop music mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs pleaded not guilty Tuesday to bribery charges related to a December shooting at a New York nightclub.

"I am outraged by the new bribery charge. As I have said before, this charge is completely baseless," Combs said in a statement afterward. "I did not bribe anyone at anytime anywhere. I look forward to my day in court and being completely exonerated on all the charges."

The judge released Combs and Anthony Jones, each on $20,000 cash bail to be paid by Friday.

The two men were already charged on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, stemming from a shooting at a Times Square-area nightclub in which three people were wounded.

An indictment claims Combs and Jones offered Combs' driver, Wardel Fenderson, $50,000 if Fenderson, who was a witness to the Dec. 27, 1999 shooting, claimed ownership of a gun that police recovered from their vehicle. Combs had fled the club with singer-actress Jennifer Lopez and Jones, a longtime friend, in a Lincoln Navigator and were arrested after an 11-block chase by police.

A Combs protege, Jamal "Shyne" Barrow, was charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting. The next court appearance relating to the bribery charges is scheduled for May 16.

Hip-hop star indicted in gun case
January 13, 2000
Combs declares innocence after grand jury testimony
January 5, 2000
Free on bail, Combs denies weapons charges
December 28, 1999
Rapper 'Puffy' Combs faces firearm charges
December 27, 1999

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