Hip-hopper DMX made it to court on time yesterday – with a little help from the city Department of Correction.
Now he’ll be spending up to the next 70 days with them – 10 more than the rapper-actor would have received had he not been more than two hours late to his 2 p.m. sentencing in a Queens court the day before.
The gravel-voiced DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was ordered held overnight when he finally arrived in court at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, after a bench warrant had been issued.
Simmons had previously cut a deal with prosecutors netting him only 60 days for violating the terms of an earlier no-jail plea deal. That deal was cut after the rapper was charged with busting through a Kennedy Airport parking gate while high on Valium.
Yesterday, Assistant District Attorney Gerard Brave pointed out Simmons’ chronic lateness to various court dates, saying, “He continues to put his own interests, his movie career, his own schedule, above that of the court.”
“I don’t find Mr. Simmons kept his side of the promise,” said Judge Dorothy Chin-Brandt. “I am going to sentence Mr. Simmons to 70 days in jail.”
With good behavior, Simmons will only serve two-thirds of that time.
The rapper, 34, blamed an asthma attack for the delay.
“I in no way intended to show disrespect to the court. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to make it on time, but I was sick,” said Simmons.
“They were halfway to the court when they had to turn around and get his inhaler,” said his lawyer, Murray Richman.