36 year old Gai Scott, the nephew that allegedly fired shots at Benzino over the weekend, has pleaded not guilty to the armed assault with intent to murder charges against him. In fact, he’s saying that it was all in self defense.
Gai tells police that he opened fire Saturday on a red 2013 Dodge Journey driven by his uncle Benzino because Benzino had threatened he and his family’s life. Gai says he was driving a 2006 Bentley behind a hearse in the funeral procession when Benzino pulled up beside him in the left lane, rolled down his window, and said, “You got a problem with me” and then threatened to kill him. Keep in mind, in earlier reports Benzino mentioned “accidentally” stumbling upon the funeral procession. Benzino says he was headed to pick up a friend in Plymouth that friend was fellow Love & Hip Hop star Stevie J.
No word as to why Stevie J was there. Considering how much child support he owes in New York, I’d think Stevie J would stay as far away from the East Coast as possible. Anyway, continuing on with the story, Gai recalls shooting at his uncle when he pulled along side him.
“I shot at him; I was in fear for my wife and a baby,” Gai Scott said, according to a police report filed in court. “He’s been threatening my life.”
Gai told Stat Trooper Robert M. Klimas that Benzino had been sending him text messages threatening to kill him in the week prior to the shooting and that he legally purchased a 9mm firearm to protect himself. He also described himself as “security” for the funeral, the report said.
“Gai also stated that Raymond had been threatening to kill him for years,” Klimas wrote in the police report. “I asked Gai why Raymond wanted to harm him, and Gai stated that it stemmed from animosity and jealousy.”
“Six shots into Ray Scott’s car, and he chased him on the highway; that doesn’t sound like self-defense to me,’’ Leppo said. He added that Raymond Scott did not have a firearm.
Despite earlier reports of Benzino being in critical condition, the Love & Hip Hop Atlanta merely sustained a gun shot wound to his left arm and an abrasion on his back. He was discharged from the hospital on Monday.
Unfortunately Martin K. Leppo, a criminal and civil attorney, isn’t buying into the self defense plea, considering Gai fired the gun at Benzino until it was spent. According to Benzino, it was at this point that he thought he was going to die.
Do I doubt Benzino threatened Gai’s life? Considering he’s hurled threats at me and I don’t even know the man, I wouldn’t be surprised. He has about as much couth as he has nec…… nevermind. Either way, this story gets crazier and crazier.
