Rapper ODB Placed In Psychiatric Unit, Prison Sentence Delayed

Jet, July 2, 2001

Rapper Russell Jones, ODB of the rap group the WuTang Clan, was recently placed in a Brooklyn, NY, psychiatric unit, delaying his scheduled prison sentence.

The rapper had been taken to court from Kings County Hospital Centers psychiatric unit in Brooklyn where he had been moved from jail several weeks prior.

"Hes out of it," said defense lawyer Peter Frankel of his client Jones after a recent meeting with the rapper in the State Supreme Court in Queens.

Jones, 32, who has been incarcerated since early December, recently appeared before Queens Supreme Court Justice Joseph Gross handcuffed and ungroomed with his sweatpants falling off of him.

Justice Gross delayed the possible two- to four-year prison sentence at the request of Frankel so that the rapper could be examined by doctors for further evaluation.

Frankel told the Daily News his client had been diagnosed with mental health problems in the past.

In April of this year Jones pleaded guilty to the possession of cocaine and marijuana after he was stopped for driving through a red light in July of 1999.

At JET press time, Justice Gross rescheduled the sentencing for July 17.