Rhymes Rejects Plea Deal

Latest: Rapper Busta Rhymes walked out of a New York courtroom today, after refusing to accept a plea deal which would have seen him serve 12 months in jail for assault and drink-driving charges.

Rhymes - real name Trevor Smith - was at Manhattan Criminal Court to stand trial for the alleged December 2006 assault of his driver and an August 2006 assault of a fan. He was also facing a driving under the influence charge, after his arrest last week.

His lawyer rejected the plea deal proposed by the prosecution, which offered the rapper a one-year prison term, attendance of a drink-driving programme and a $1,500 fine, according to TMZ.com.

Rhymes is due back in court in July.