Rapper Foxy Brown sentenced to a year in jail

Rapper Foxy Brown (real name Inga Marchand), 27, who is three months pregnant with her first child, was sentenced to one year in jail after she was found guilty of violating her probation.

In October 2006 Foxy received three years on probation after assaulting two manicurists; in August this year she was charged with assaulting her neighbor with her Blackberry phone. Now Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson sent Foxy to a full year in jail.

It is not known yet if she will serve the full time.

Source: TMZ.com

Thanks to CBB readers Mary Beth and Sarah.

Comments

You know, it’s said that the law unfairly favours women. If she doesn’t do her full time and her pregnancy is cited as the reason, there is going to be a LOT of backlash for just this reason. If she were a man, this would not be a consideration.

- aracely on September 8th, 2007

I have to wonder if there is a double standard in hollywood? Celebs like Nicole Ritchie, Paris Hilton and in particular Lindsay Lohan who was driving while drunk and high on drugs who “kidnapped” 3 people in her rage…have all gotten off with a slap on the wrist.

Why is Foxy being punished so harshly? I’m not saying what she did was right she deserves to be punished. But it just seems so unfair.

Nicole was drunk driving and served 82 min in jail and she’s pregnant too.

And in this case Foxy will give birth to her child in jail! She’s not the first woman, but is she the first “celeb”?

I really think the US justice system is not even handed when it comes to celebrity crimes. And dare i say it…class and race.

Maybe the judges in LA need to take a look at the NY justice system to figure out how to punish celebrity law breakers!

- a on September 8th, 2007

I gotta totally disagree with you, Aracely.
First of all, thousands of women give birth in prison every year. Look up the stats of how many women give birth in Women’s Correctional facilities every year. They don’t get a “break” because they are pregnant.
Second, pregnancy cannot be a consideration in men because men can’t get pregnant!! Being pregnant is not some sort of catch-all excuse. It is a legitimate condition where you have to ensure the best conditions for not only the mother, but the unborn child (who has absolutely no say on what is going on)
Third of all, statistically speaking women commit less violent crimes than men. That accounts for many reductions in sentencing.
And finally, in the case of Foxy Brown, I find the sentence to be quite harsh. How many people has Naomi Campbell beaten yet she only ended up with community service? Not in any way downplaying the fact that she has assaulted several people, and violated probation, but one year is quite harsh. In my book, you endanger way more lives driving drunk or on drugs than you hitting someone with a blackberry.

- Victoria on September 8th, 2007

Well first and foremost I actually like Foxy Brown, she’s got talent. She just has an anger problem. In New York State it’s a felony to strike someone with an object in case in point attacking her neighbor with a blackberry. Now had Foxy just struck her with her hand then it would be misdemenor. I don’t condone any kind of violence what so ever but in the state of New York they don’t mess around. I mean as bad as it sounds, she got off light, she could’ve gotten anywhere up to 10 years if they wanted to push for it. I’m kinda surprised Naomi Campbell got off so light considering her attack on her former maid & assistant with an object..

- Natalie S. on September 8th, 2007

In regards to Paris and Nicole… their sentences were what was standard for their offense.

Lindsay… well, that girl is just nuts….

But also… they were dealing with drugs and alcohol.

That’s a lot different from a sober person committing assault.

I doubt she’ll spend the whole time in jail due to overcrowding and such… but I do think she needs to spend some time there… maybe it will make her realize she needs to get help for anger management before this baby is born.

What if she got angry and assaulted her baby?

- Kat on September 8th, 2007

I agree that when we read about these cases, its natural to compare to another who has been sentenced to more or gotten off easy. So Foxy is sentenced to 1 year in jail, but could be paroled after 8 months. Go to wikipedia and look up Foxy Brown, check out her ‘legal run-ins’ section. Its not just a few violent outburts or altercations. It’s also missing court dates, driving with suspended license, violating probation, verbal confrontation with the judge etc. You add all that up and it will ultimately catch up to you.

- madison on September 8th, 2007

Hope she does the entire sentence, the girl has issues and plenty of problems in the past.

- gabriella on September 8th, 2007

I agree with what ‘a’ said. I find the sentence unfair. That’s just my opinion.

- Tara on September 8th, 2007

I think because of her ENTIRE history regarding breaking the laws; this is the approrpiate sentence she should have gotten.

On Nicole, Paris, and Lindsay they did receive slaps on the wrist. And to me driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is worse then a punch in the face.

If I physcially punch someone for whatever reason; then my intentions of harm were specifically for that person. However; if I were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, I am not only posing a threat to myself but to innocent people without that being my intent as well. By no means should you put your hands on anyone excluding self-defense but, you should also keep your behind home if you just have to get drunk and/or high or at least have someone chauffeur you around.

IMO which I will keep to myself, of course there is a difference between Foxy vs Lindsay, Nicole and Paris; even if they all have broken the law on more than one occassion.

- Melanie F. on September 8th, 2007

This sentence is just too harsh. The reason most likely is bc she is African-American, unlike Lidsey Lohan and the other white celebs. I feel really sorry for her and hope she gets out of jail before the baby is born.

- Miss155 on September 8th, 2007

Good, she should get a year in jail! Yes its my tax dollars that pay for peoples prison time but i would much rather pay for a felon to be incarcirated then out on the streets breaking the law and endangering the public. I belive that paris, lindsay and nicole should have gotten more as well. You break the law, you do the time. Its how it goes. She should have thought it out before hand and she would never have been in this (pregnant-jail) position. If she had been law-abiding she’d be at home right now planing for her baby instead of sitting in a cell at rikers!

Might sound harsh, but these are grown women. You dont want to go to jail? DON’T COMMIT A CRIME!

- morgan on September 8th, 2007

The only reason why Foxy won’t serve the full year sentence is because she is a celebrity. There are many non celebrity women who give birth in prison each year. There is a jail in my hometown that devotes the entire 8th floor to pregnant women.

- Leigh on September 8th, 2007

Miss155, I seriously doubt the sentence was harsh because she is African American. I hate when people play the race card. Her hisotory speaks for itself. I do feel bad for her because she will give birth in jail. BUT, she has had numerous run ins with the law and its time to pay. I would feel the same if it were a Caucasian woman..or Hispanic…or Asian. Lets not bring race into this.

- tink1217 on September 8th, 2007

Things would have gone differently if she hadn’t behaved as if she could blow the entire charges off..she should have shown up in court. Judges do not like to be ignored! I bet she doesn’t serve 12 months, and I bet she does not have the baby in jail. Her biggest mistake was losing control of herself, but her second mistake was being flip about showing up in court.

- brookefan on September 8th, 2007

It’s really difficult to compare her sentence with Nicole’s or Paris. First, Nicole did not violate her probation and was only being sentenced for the offense itself. Second, Foxy has an extensive criminal background–judges don’t respond well to people who violate probation AND attacked other judges. She has numerous arrests (which are not wholly relevant but still revealing), assault charges, and a habit for missing court dates and cursing at court personnel. Another No-No for someone who wants a low sentence.

Finaly, Foxy is in NY, not California! Don’t like the way they deal with DWI in CA, then go to the ballot and have the law changed. Each of these celebrities got what they deserved. If anything, Foxy is lucy because there is actual video footage of several of her assaults on others.

- Annie on September 8th, 2007

She deserves to go to jail, i think. Even though she’s pregnant, she broke the law.

- Beetlejuice on September 8th, 2007

1.anger management 2.work on developing self esteem, self respect… which SHOULD develope a greater appreciation for our laws. (and others) Choose the behavior, choose the consequences….I’d guess she is pretty ashamed that because of her behavior she will now likely give birth to her child in prison. Stinks.

- Campbell on September 8th, 2007

Foxy is being treated harshly because she has had multiple chances and continued to mess up. I feel sorry for her baby since she couldn’t get her act together for the sake of that child. I hope someone great can take care of it.

- Jes on September 8th, 2007

If it works anything like it does in our state, she will be in a special minimum custody facility for pregnant women up until the time she is due to deliver where she will then be transported to a hospital and allowed 48 hours with her child before it is turned over to a family member to take care of until she has served her sentence.

It’s kind of a standing joke that women commit crimes in our state just to get sent in when they are barely pregnant so the state will pay for everything plus also makes sure the child is provided for after the fact.The added bonus is they come home to a baby that is already on a schedule. It sounds horrible to say but considering some of the women my husband has to deal with as a Corrections Officer are on their 7th and 8th children born while the women were institutionlized(they make no bones about the fact they are just thrilled to be coming home to a baby that is already trained)it seems to me that perhaps that standing joke isn’t all that funny.

I do think in Foxy’s situation this is more about anger management and rehabilitating a bad temper than being a true menace to society. The sentence seems very heavy but considering this is not her first brush with the law, it explains alot. As mentioned by others, the worst part will be having to be apart from her new baby if she does end up having to serve her sentence in its entirety.

- de on September 8th, 2007

Poor Foxy! I wonder if she will still be allowed to get married this September like she and her fiancee planned? Does anyone know how jails handle that kind of thing? Oh, and I also feel bad because, if she does give birth in prison and the child is turned over to a family member, she obviously won’t be given the option of breastfeeding.

- Annoyomus on September 9th, 2007

De, I had no clue they had all those privileges, even for repeated (and strategic?) incarcerations.

The sentence does seem a bit harsh, and I was actually coming on to comment that. But thanks to who posted all her other offenses…that makes it seem a bit more fair. Paris, Lindsay, and Nicole deserved a more harsh punishment than they got, because I agree, I’d rather get punched in the face than smacked by a drunk driver.

Nicole is also black, so I don’t think that comparison can be made. She does come from a wealthy background though, so who knows.

- emily on September 9th, 2007

I don’t think her sentencing was too harsh, nor do I think race had any part in it (as a black woman myself I *hate* it when this is erroneously used a reason for for why something bad happens to someone.) Like several other comments have here have stated Ms. Brown has a history of violating probation and blowing off court dates/disrespecting judges–the latter especially probably did her no favors in receiving this sentence.

As for pregnant women in jail…sorry, but as long as they receive the proper prenatal care and nutrition, I don’t see why they should be sentenced or treated any differently than any other person who commits a similar crime.

- Erica on September 9th, 2007

I hate when people say don’t bring race into it. You can’t hide from the fact that black Americans get proportionally longer and harsher sentences than whites for the same crimes. It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. There have been many studies, although I don’t think it takes a study to see that there is a problem. Anyway I agree with everyone who says the sentence is too harsh. Good luck to her and I hope she comes out of this stronger.

- melanie on September 9th, 2007

anonyomus, i really doubt that they will let her our for her wedding. They dont let criminals out on holidays, their birthdays, for funerals even. I think that the point of jail is punishment. I think she may have to reschedule her wedding!

WHile it is sad she will have to possibly give birth in jail, it is also sad that 3 women were viciously assulted by Foxy.

- morgan on September 9th, 2007

About weddings – I have two acquaintances who were married several years ago while the groom was (and still is) incarcerated. The only way they could get married was by proxy – someone else had to stand in as the groom during the ceremony. There’s some legal work involved in the documentation, obviously.

I don’t know if this is how it works in all jails.

- emily on September 9th, 2007

Emily,
Nicole is not black. She is of Black Creole, and Mexican decent.

I am not sure of Foxy’s past (wikipedia is not a reliable source btw) but I do think that her punishment is a bit harsh.

- C on September 10th, 2007

She is NOT pregnant. She’s only pretending because she thought that would lessen her jail time and it backfired! Just wait and see…..

- Maria on September 10th, 2007

C – In a really tacky interview by Norm Macdonald, she claimed she is black. http://gothamist.com/2003/12/02/nicole_richie_is_black.php

- emily on September 10th, 2007

She needs jail time! I am a Black Afro American and I’ve seen the chick in action. She thinks she can do this! If I didn’t have an attitude like today to when I was younger when she dis people in brooklyn on Saratoga Ave at the country kitchen with that pimp baby daddy and she was looking all worn & drug out! I would has beat her ass down and that she needs to know! Holla ya broke down b-i-t-c-h!!

- Stephanie on September 10th, 2007

I know that she considers herself to be black (I heard her say that on Tyra) but she still isn’t lol.

I’m guessing that most of the people on that site do not realize that Nicole is adopted.

- C on September 10th, 2007

Fendi bag stilletto shoes? What is it with you foxy? Grow up or maybe this jail sentence will make you grow up. Sometimes thats what it takes because thats what it took for me to think about my actions. You just can’t go around thinking because you was a celeb you can do this or maybe you just haven’t run up on the right person. I’m a Black Afro American and the skin don’t matter you deserve whatever the judge offers to you and that goes for anybody pregnant or not!

- Stephanie on September 10th, 2007

Yeah I knew she is adopted. And other sites say that by genetics she is 1/4 black.

But none of that is important. What is important is that she identifies with Lionel Richie and his wife, and they are her true parents. And most of all, she says she is black.

Anyway…this is a silly discussion, really. I guess we could argue more clearly that Naomi Campbell didn’t get the sentencing Foxy got.

- emily on September 11th, 2007