The nephew of rapper and reality TV star Benzino appeared in court on Monday on assault charges in the shooting of his uncle during a funeral procession south of Boston over the weekend. Gai Scott, 36, pleaded not guilty through his attorney, who asserted that his client was trying to protect himself during the odd turn of events.
“When the dust settles, this case will be shown to be self-defense,” attorney Jon Ciraulo said, according to the Boston Globe.
Gai Scott was charged with assault with intent to murder and has been ordered held without bail.
As previously reported, Gai Scott allegedly pulled up in his Bentley alongside Benzino’s Dodge SUV on Route 3 South in Duxbury on Saturday and fired multiple gunshots. The Plymouth district attorney said the rapper, whose real name is Raymond Scott, was shot twice. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in good condition.
As for motive, Benzino told The Globe that the shooting stemmed from a lingering family feud. An attorney for Gai Scott’s mother accused Benzino of lying about the turn of event, and said he was using the incident to promote himself.
The 48-year old Benzino is known throughout the hip-hop world for his time on “Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta” as well as his time at The Source, which included a lengthy public feud with Eminem and that greatly tarnished the magazine’s reputation. He was a member of the Boston groups Almighty RSO and Made Men and has released four solo albums, most recently 2007’s “The Antidote.”
