Benzino found "not guilty"

Ray “Benzino” Scott, rapper and former owner of The Source magazine, was found not guilty yesterday by a panel of jurors on two counts of failure to file tax returns. “I am very happy to be exonerated and that the judicial system worked,” said Scott, who faced up to one year in prison if convicted “This is a case that broke through race barriers, considering there were 12 white jurors, and also broke through hip-hop barriers, because I was sitting there as a representative of hip-hop, with my braids and my songs all coming into play.” “It makes me think of a lot of other guys that have been trapped by the judicial system. I encourage anyone out there who has legal issues to get involved with your lawyer.” “I was very much involved from day one in my case. I was offered to do time before I brought it to trial, but I fought and I won. I’m a fighter, I’m always gonna be a fighter.” Despite losing ownership of The Source last year, Scott and Dave Mays have since co-founded a new hip-hop publication, Hip-Hop Weekly.