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Remy Ma's Victim Renews Lawsuit Against Label

Posted Apr 26th 2010 12:45PM by Theo Bark
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The woman whom Bronx rapper Remy Ma infamously shot in the stomach over a money dispute is renewing her lawsuit against Remy's record label, Universal Music Group.

In 2007, Makeda Barnes-Joseph was shot twice in the abdomen by her former friend Remy Ma, now serving an eight-year sentence for the crime at New York's Rikers Island. Barnes-Joseph is asking for $10 million in her suit against UMG, claiming the label condoned and rewarded Remy for her criminal actions by keeping her on as an employee during her investigation.

"Failure to supervise, negligent hiring, and negligent retention," Lauren Raysor, the lawyer for Barnes-Joseph, explained to the Village Voice of the charges. "[Universal] continued to feature her on their site right after the shooting, and linked their website to Remy Ma's website."

The case was initially dismissed, but Barnes-Joseph's lawyer successfully appealed the decision, claiming the case was not given due process, and that "the Court either disregarded or misunderstood the employment status of Remy Smith, aka "Remy Ma," with Universal Music Group at the time of the shooting."

The opening statements began in New York State Supreme Court, earlier this week. Remy Ma is eligible for release in 2013 and is also appealing her conviction.