A high-profile inmate at a Brooklyn detention facility was reportedly the intended target of a violent assault by another prisoner seeking notoriety, according to statements made in court this week.
During a sentencing hearing on Friday, the defense attorney for the incarcerated music executive revealed that his client narrowly avoided being stabbed. The alleged assailant, another inmate, was intercepted by corrections officers before the attack could be carried out. The lawyer stated the individual aimed to gain status within the institution by targeting the well-known figure.
The defendant has been held at the facility since last autumn, sharing living quarters with two dozen other men. His legal counsel described an environment of pervasive drug use and violence, claiming his client survives on minimal sleep and has largely subsisted on snack foods despite being provided regular meals.
The attorney also addressed the charges directly, stating his client would have accepted a plea agreement related to the federal counts of transporting individuals for prostitution, but no such offer was extended by prosecutors.
The presiding judge imposed a sentence of just over four years in prison. Prior to delivering the sentence, the judge emphasized the need for a substantial penalty to deter future criminal activity and protect the public. The judge pointed to a pattern of abuse, stating the defendant used his considerable influence and resources to perpetuate misconduct over a long period.
In a lengthy address to the court, the defendant expressed remorse, describing himself as a changed person. He acknowledged his past actions in domestic violence cases as a permanent burden and attributed his behavior to being consumed by excess and ego.
In a final attempt to sway the court’s decision, a personal letter from the defendant was published online a day before the hearing. In it, he cited his ongoing incarceration as a catalyst for personal reform, claiming to have achieved sobriety for the first time in a quarter-century and to be actively addressing substance abuse and anger management issues.
