T.I. Released From Prison

By Sam Brand Posted Dec 22nd 2009 06:58PM

And you thought The King of the South was supposed to be sprung on March 10, 2010. Christmas arrived a few days early for one of the best-selling rappers of the decade. On Tuesday morning, 7 months into his scheduled 366 day stay behind bars, T.I. was released from Forrest City penitentiary.

T.I. Out of Jail – The 29-year-old rapper now must spend 3 months in a halfway house – where residents are allowed to leave for work and contact with family – and then another 23 days under house arrest. T.I. must also put in over 500 hours of community service to fulfill his obligations to society following his 2007 arrest and conviction for illegal possession of firearms. And no, time logged in front of the camera for his MTV reality series 'T.I.'s Road to Redemption' does not count towards that total.

His Crime – Clifford "T.I." Harris Jr. was arrested for illegally purchasing several machine guns and silencers from undercover cops just hours before a scheduled performance at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in October 2007. Additional illegal firearms were found in the rapper's College Park home during the sting, which was aided by one of T.I.'s busted bodyguards. Formerly convicted of a drug offense in 1998, T.I. is barred from owning or buying firearms of any kind. The possession of several unregistered weapons could have put the platinum-selling rapper in jail for a decade. But under the terms of his plea deal, in which T.I. agreed to use his celebrity to educate at-risk youth about the dangers of violence and gangs, the rapper received a reduced sentence.

His Accomplishments – T.I. has sold nearly 10 million records in the United States, landing his last 3 albums at the top of the Billboard 200, and appearing in 3 No. 1 singles: "My Love" (Justin Timberlake feat. T.I.), "Whatever You Like," and "Live Your Life." He's got 14 Top 40 hits to his name, appeared as a guest in several dozen charting singles, and he's the CEO of his own label Grand Hustle Records. He's also an actor, appearing in 'The O.C.,' 'ATL,' 'American Gangster,' and the upcoming thriller 'Takers,' which he is also executive producing.

Tags: t.i., t.i. freed, t.i. out of jail, t.i. out of prison, T.i.Freed, T.i.OutOfJail, T.i.OutOfPrison

Comments

(56)

Tuesday 22 December

By leroy

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OMG !! Now i`m going to have to lock my doors and windows..Why does the police let these thugs out for ?? All there going to do is more crimes..UH UH UH # 1 AGAIN..Don`t hate cuse you`re # 2..UH UH UH

By jack

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Now only if you felt the same way about Bush, cheney, rumsfeld, and all their croonies. Than maybe things could have changed and "thugs" would've have to resort to the "samething." Thank God it a new day and a new way of life.

Wednesday 23 December

By yalanda

get a clue and learn to spell and talk correctly. time is served and he is released! get over it. by the way, the word is they're. illiterate!!!!!!

By islandshack

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This is insane! Why is this person not locked up? If you or I did this crime we would be locked up without question. He is going to use his "celebrity" to educate at-risk youth? Give me a break, he is going to put out more (in my opinion) worthless rap albums. He should be treated just like everyone else that breaks the law. What kind of a message does this send to those "at-risk" youths?

By Tom

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Pukes like this maggot just about always re-offend. He'll be back in prison again and soon. Hopefully before he gets someone killed. Of course there's nothing like a puke and maggot getting rid another.

By Inkling

It probably took more time to convict this crapper than he spent in jail. Funny, he supposedly is so well known and has sold so much but I have never heard of him. Did we really MISS anything while he was locked up? He should be sentenced to repay the government for the money it has cost US to board and feed him for 7 months.

By SiGHiGN0RANTBL0GGERS

HAD YU EVEN TOOK TiME T0 RESEARCH BEF0RE YU WENT AND JUDGED A PERS0N DAT YU N0E NTHN
AB0UT YU WUD N0E DAT HE WAS N0T JUST
AN0THER THUG 0UT BUYiNG GUNS T0 G0 AND KiLL iNN0CENT PE0PLE. HE WANTED T0 PR0TECT HiS SELF AND HiS FAMiLY FR0M THE SAME GUYS THAT MURDERED HiS L0NG TiME FRiEND, JUS DA SAME AS iF S0ME0NE WAS THREATEN YUR LiFE AS WELL AS YUR FAMiLY YU WUD D0 WAT EVER iS P0SSiBLE T0 PR0TECT YU AND YURS iTS S0 SAD H0W PPL MAKE A BiG DEAL 0UT 0F THE SMALLEST THiNGS AND HAD YU READ THE ENTiRE ARTiCLE YU WUD SEE THAT HE iS N0T 0UT HE iS iN A HALF WAY H0USE AND AFTER THAT HE STiLL WiLL BE UNDER H0USE ARREST S0 THEREF0R HE iS PAYING F0R HiS CRiME...N0 i D0 N0T AGREE WiT THE AM0UNT 0F GUNS HE WAS BUYiNG BUT i D0 AGREE WiT PR0TECTiN HiS FAMiLY BECAUSE iF ANY0NE EVEN ATTEMPTS T0 HARM MY CHiLD TRUST ME i WUD D0 M0RE DAMAGE T0 THEM THANTHEY CUD EVER THiNK 0F

Thursday 24 December

By bianca

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People please, before you start yapping off at the mouth educate yourselves. Do you know why he bought all those guns (besides the fact that he is rich and can do that)...His best friend was murdered and his family was being threatened....

Saturday 26 December

By Justspeaking

Well quite simply the fact is and remains that we live in a society where you get as much justice as you can afford. If you do not have a huge net worth and can not afford the best attorneys then yes you will be in jail for a very long time indeed my friend. It is said that money is the root of all evil however I believe that money is nothing more than the root of SECURITY. Make enough money and you are secure from serving long jail sentences, something called a recession and all other aliments of us who do not have an abundance of cash.

By kenchian

give the man a chance ,

By URALLPUSBRAINS

that's ok he'll be back in jail soon. thug ain't got any sense

By B

Sheeeet, why not give him the gun to use as prop!!
A-holl bought-0ff Justice System!!!!!

By Outlaw Josey Wales

He may be back in jail soon, but how many people may be hurt before he goes back? And the police didn't let him out of jail, the broken, ignorant justice system did.

By 63strat

The guy had survived a shooting in 2006 that claimed the life of his life long friend. I can't really blame him for being kinda paranoid and buying some guns to protect himself. I wonder how many people ripping this guy would think differently if several people had tried to kill them or their family. The sentence was pretty light, but the guy was not out shooting up the streets, he was scared and trying to protect himself. I can't say I agree with it, but I can't really blame him either.

By Lisa

HAPPY TI IS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

HO! HO! HO!

By Leonzo

He was scared and trying to protect himself? I guess the silencers were to protect his hearing and he was building an arsonal to fight terrorism.

By Myndast

He did his time, got out. Let's just hope all goes well for him, his family and everyone involved. I wish him the best of luck. He should have done things the right way and purchased a gun or guns legally.

By Michelle

if any one knew anything at all about T.I you would know his reasons for buying the guns; and no it wasn't because he is a "thug" who wanted to go on a killing spree, now i'm not saying his reasons were right at all; he still shouldn't have purchased the guns but people need to give him a chance because he never actually did anything with the guns. he bought them because he was scared that he was going to be killed and meet the same fate as one of his dear friends but never intended on using them for the heck of it like some people seem to think. i think he is gonna straighten up. seriously, just give the guy a break. he PURCHASED guns he didn't USE the guns.

By EMlLYAVA

Machine gun and Silencers. Isn't that part of their garb? If you're black how could you go out without those accessories. Give a man a break. The crime wasn't that bad. I mean he didn't use the firearms. He didn't even get a chance to see them with the silencers on. He's a rapper. What's a black man to do? It's getting bad out there when cops sell you this stuff.

By jakestewart

"The crime wasn't that bad..." Not sure how to interpret that, but i do disagree with a couple of things. "He's a rapper. What's a black man to do." I don't think ALL rappers are out purchasing machine guns a suppressors (proper name for silencers). SO you know, the mere possession of a supressor (silencer) without any firearm is in and of itself a violation of federal law. People don't purchase "silencers" for any reason other than to attempt to conceal their crime--the firing of the weapon, usually at a human, and as far as..."it's getting bad out there when cops sell you this stuff." The cops didn't go to him asking if he wanted to purchase these illegal items.. They came into contact with him AFTER he expressed a real interest in making these purchases. I would rather the cops do this "sting" than have T.I.--or any other individual--make this purchase from another felon without detection from law enforcement. This "sting" allow law enforcement to do the deal, satisfying the purchase desired by T.I., and make the arrest thus avoiding the real possibility that the machine guns and silencers would be used--probably in a public setting--wherein innocent bystanders could be injured or killed. I applaud law enforcement for this, I just wish the judicial system would have carried out the sentence set forth. Merry Christmas all.. Hopefully, maching guns and silencers are not on your "wish list!"

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