‘Superfly’ actor and rapper sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for multiple rapes
The rapper and actor – who was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison Thursday for multiple sexual assaults, including ones he’d previously committed, in different states – was’saying goodbye to our culture’
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — A rapper and actor known as rapper ‘Superfly’ was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison Thursday for multiple sexual crimes against women in three states.
Former NFL player Ray Rice, whose case has led to many lawsuits, appeared in court to hear the sentence. His sentence was handed down by a federal judge in Baltimore.
In January, the rapper and former ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ actor were indicted on charges of abusing or raping more than two dozen women between 2010 and 2013 – charges that were later upgraded to rape.
A jury in 2013 found Rice not guilty of all charges, but a mistrial was declared as a result of prosecutors deciding not to retry the case.
Rice’s defense has argued that their star client, who is now 44, had been harassed in the past by so many people that he had no idea he was a serial rapist.
Rice’s attorney, Jose Baez, did not immediately respond to multiple media requests for comment.
Rice, whose real name is Adrian Tracy, had entered the case as a victim in February 2015 as federal prosecutors sought his indictment.
About a year later – and a few hours after the verdict in the other case – the U.S. Attorney’s office announced Rice would be indicted on a second set of charges.
Rice and a former girlfriend were both accused of raping the woman — first behind a Sonic Drive-In restaurant and then while staying at a hotel. The woman’s then-boyfriend said Rice had threatened to murder him and his family if she disclosed what he had done.
The woman, identified by her first name in court as ‘Jane,’ told a Baltimore Sun reporter after the verdict that the experience had scared her to death. But she said she didn’t feel alone in that regard as she found some comfort in the support networks she created to keep herself emotionally and psychologically alive.
“It made me realize I had to talk to someone – that I had to talk to my friends and family to get out of this,” she said.
Jane said she was grateful Rice and his lawyer didn’t bring him up