EURweb |
DALLAS AUSTIN SENTENCED, THEN PARDONED: Dubai court gives him 4-year bid; hours later they reportedly let him go.
*A Dubai court on Tuesday sentenced producer Dallas Austin to four years in prison for cocaine possession, then hours later decided to issue him a pardon and deport him back to the United States.
"Dallas Austin has been pardoned," the Gulf News publication quoted judicial sources as saying.
Austin had pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying 1.26 grams of cocaine into Dubai last May. He told the court on Sunday that his actions were unintentional and he did not mean to break any laws of the United Arab Emirates.
As previously reported, Austin was on his way to Naomi Campbell’s three-day birthday party at the Burj al-Arab Hotel when he was arrested May 19 at Dubai's airport. Austin's lawyer disputed the reported nature of his visit, saying the producer was in Dubai to attend concerts.
Austin, who has produced hits for such artists as Brandy, Boys II Men, Janet Jackson and TLC, had been held without bail since his arrest.
