DMX FORCED TO PAY DAMAGES FOR 2004 ASSAULT

2009-07-01 10:57:03 -

Incarcerated rapper DMX has been ordered to pay $240,000 (£165,500) in damages to a man who sued the star after a 2004 assault.
DMX, real name Earl Simmons, was arrested in June 2004 by Port Authority cops in New York after he allegedly used a fake police siren to pull over Sergei Priporin's car and confront him in front of his family at JFK Airport.
The angry rapper claimed Priporin had made him late for a flight.
Police searched Simmons' person and vehicle and found various illegal substances, including crack cocaine, and a police baton.
He was charged with drug possession, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, menacing, driving under the influence while claiming to be a federal agent, and attempting to carjack a vehicle.
Simmons escaped punishment and was given a conditional discharge for that incident - but Priporin's family filed a $4 million (£2.76 million) lawsuit against him.
A U.S. judge ruled in the Priporins' favour on Thursday (30Apr09) and awarded them $200,000 (£137,930) in punitive damages and a further $40,000 (£27,585) in compensatory damages.
But DMX's lawyer, Richard Corde, insists his client is not sorry for his actions.
Corde tells TMZ.com, "Mr. Simmons still feels justified in pulling them over when they didn't get out of his way... He's not apologising for that. The gentleman driving should have gotten out of his way." The hip-hop star is currently behind bars in Arizona serving time after being found guilty of various charges of drug possession, animal cruelty and theft.