Rapper Cassidy has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault after a man was shot dead behind his house in Philadelphia.
Cassidy - real name Barry Reese - was grossly negligent for supplying guns that killed Desmond Hawkins, Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan told him. He was sentenced to eleven-and-a-half to 23 months in prison, although he has been in custody since June.
Prosecutors said Reese, 23, had stored the guns in expectation of a shoot-out. Four different guns, including an assault rifle, had been used in the incident in an alleyway behind Reese's home on 15 April 2005, police said. Investigators found ammunition for an AK-47 and other weapons inside the rapper's home, which he shared with his girlfriend and two-year-old son.
"You could be a leader in the community," Judge Greenspan said. "All those guns - that's why Desmond is gone now, because of all those guns."
Witnesses said Mr Hawkins, 22, had gone to Reese's home to act as a peacemaker after he and his friends had got into an argument with Reese and his friends.
"It's a tragic situation for me too," Reese told the court.
"I didn't set up for this to happen. Desmond Hawkins was my friend, one of my closest friends."
Reese's debut album Split Personality peaked at number two in the US, and featured the single "Hotel" featuring R Kelly. His follow-up album was called I'm A Hustla. His managers want him back to work on a third album.
"He's a natural performer. Very charismatic. We think he could be multi-platinum," said Emio Zizza of J Records.
Cassidy - real name Barry Reese - was grossly negligent for supplying guns that killed Desmond Hawkins, Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan told him. He was sentenced to eleven-and-a-half to 23 months in prison, although he has been in custody since June.
Prosecutors said Reese, 23, had stored the guns in expectation of a shoot-out. Four different guns, including an assault rifle, had been used in the incident in an alleyway behind Reese's home on 15 April 2005, police said. Investigators found ammunition for an AK-47 and other weapons inside the rapper's home, which he shared with his girlfriend and two-year-old son.
"You could be a leader in the community," Judge Greenspan said. "All those guns - that's why Desmond is gone now, because of all those guns."
Witnesses said Mr Hawkins, 22, had gone to Reese's home to act as a peacemaker after he and his friends had got into an argument with Reese and his friends.
"It's a tragic situation for me too," Reese told the court.
"I didn't set up for this to happen. Desmond Hawkins was my friend, one of my closest friends."
Reese's debut album Split Personality peaked at number two in the US, and featured the single "Hotel" featuring R Kelly. His follow-up album was called I'm A Hustla. His managers want him back to work on a third album.
"He's a natural performer. Very charismatic. We think he could be multi-platinum," said Emio Zizza of J Records.
