Imprisoned Hip-Hop record executive Jimmy Rosemond aka “Jimmy Henchman” is claiming that the government’s star witness in his drug trafficking trial received benefits to testify against him and is now asking for a new trial.
In a statement sent to HipHopWired.com from Rosemond’s camp, the founder of Czar Entertainment and former manager of The Game and Gucci Mane claims that the U.S. Government built its case off the tainted testimony of Henry Butler, the brother-in-law of filmmaker Lee Daniels, creator of the hit television show Empire.
Rosemond, who is currently serving a life sentence for being a “drug kingpin,” alleges that Butler and his wife Leah Daniels-Butler were given reduced sentences for drug trafficking and gun charges in exchange for information and testimony against him in his case. Rosemond is also alleging that former Assistant U.S. Attorney and current U.S. Senate candidate Todd Kaminsky, the lead prosecutors in his case, offered the reduced sentence and used other sneaky tactics to secure a conviction.
Per the statement sent to HipHopWired.com:
Rosemond became a target of federal prosecutors because of his entertainment business and connections to high profile names in the hip hop industry who the government wanted Rosemond to turn in. He refused. Although he was never found with any money or drugs in his possession, nor was any evidence produced during a two-year wire tap on his phones and in his office, the government was intent on naming Rosemond as a drug kingpin. That designation ensured a high profile prosecution and a significantly long prison sentence. The only evidence against Rosemond was circumstantial, supplied by prosecution witnesses all of whom were offered deals, like Butler, in return for their testimony.
James Rosemond said, “The government and its prosecutor, now state senate candidate, Todd Kaminsky, used underhanded and unethical methods against me to secure my guilty verdict. I have lost everything. All the money I made as a legitimate music industry businessman, and now my freedom. I feel that I was prosecuted to the extent to which I was, in large measure, because of my role in the Hip Hop industry and the ability of the government to gain so much notoriety on my case.”
51-year old “Jimmy Henchman” was sentenced to multiple life sentences in 2012 and 2013 for a combination of crimes including drug trafficking and murder-for-hire. He has long been implicated as a player in the death of Tupac “2 Pac” Shakur.
