50 Cent cronies fire away at cops as charges nixed

Two members of rapper 50 Cent's G-Unit crew were cleared of gun charges yesterday - and then promptly blasted cops for busting them.

Charges against Young Buck and Lloyd Banks were dropped by Manhattan prosecutors, who could not link the rap artists to a pair of guns found in a van the two were in during a traffic stop.

"Thankfully, I was able to defend myself against these BS charges by the NYPD", said Young Buck, 25, whose real name is David Brown.

Lloyd Banks, 24, whose real name is Chris Lloyde, said he was relieved he had the financial means to defend himself.

"This whole experience reminds me of the title of my new album - 'Rotten Apple'", he said, getting in a not-so-subtle plug.
The two men were among 12 arrested Aug. 8, 2005, following 50 Cent's "Anger Management" concert at Madison Square Garden. The men were in a van stopped after blowing a red light. Police found .40-caliber and .357 magnum guns in the van and charged all the occupants with felony possession of weapons.
It was later determined that the guns were legally registered in another state to two of the men in the van, who still face charges for carrying them in New York without a permit.

"This is another example of the NYPD hip-hop police arresting people who should have never been arrested", said Scott Leemon, attorney for both Young Buck and Lloyd Banks.