From Bat Mitzvah Superstar To Defense Attorney’s Secret Weapon

Last time we checked up on Ja Rule, he was entertaining teens at lucrative Bat Mitzvah gigs. Now we see his special skills at work hypnotizing juries, a special kind of Ja Rulian Jury Nullification:

A federal jury acquitted the hip-hop impresario Irv Gotti and his brother of money-laundering charges late yesterday, prompting jubilant cheers and pandemonium in the packed courtroom in Brooklyn. The verdict ended a three-year ordeal for the two men and dealt a stunning blow to federal prosecutors.

Minutes after the verdicts were read at the end of the second day of deliberations, two women on the jury asked that the brothers be brought into the jury room, where they hugged them. Then they asked for the men’s parents, and hugged them, too.

When the jury foreman read out the not guilty verdicts on money-laundering and related conspiracy charges in the hushed courtroom, Mr. Gotti, 35, in a light gray suit with a white shirt and gray tie, threw his head back and mouthed “thank you” twice to the jurors, nodding his head, his eyes filling with tears. His brother, Christopher Gotti, 38, standing beside him, began to cry, and several supporters shrieked.

Cheers erupted, despite earlier warnings from Chief Judge Edward R. Korman of United States District Court and his clerk. The two brothers began hugging their lawyers – Gerald L. Shargel and Gerald B. Lefcourt – and their friends and family. Then Irv Gotti jumped up on a bench and reached into the courtroom gallery to hug the rap star Ja Rule.

. . .

Several jurors said the government had failed to present enough evidence, with one, who did not want to give his name, comparing the evidence to “a cartoon” and another, Gloria Menzies, calling it weak.

Asked whether she was one of the jurors who wanted to hug the Gottis and their parents, Ms. Menzies, 60, who lives on Staten Island and teaches blind children, said: “Oh, yes. From the beginning.”

“They had no case against them, so we were glad,” Ms. Menzies said. “I was glad. And a lot of jurors were glad too, that they found them not guilty.”

. . .

Both brothers hugged some of the jurors, who joined the raucous crowd in front. Ms. Menzies also hugged Ja Rule, crying out his name and declaring, “I want to give you a hug right now!”

“No,” the beaming rapper replied, “I want to give you a hug right now.”

The two then posed for photos together.

And what do you do after beating a money laundering rap? Party on a boat, of course:

Later in the evening, the brothers celebrated on board the Utopia 3, a large boat docked at Chelsea Piers, with relatives, friends and associates.

The crowd of about 50 to 60 on board was mostly male and busy drinking, smoking, eating Ray’s pizza and walking around in their socks. Ja Rule was there with his wife, and the rap producer Russell Simmons was just arriving about 8:30 p.m. Christopher Gotti could be overheard on a phone telling someone, “We did it, we did it, man.” Irv Gotti was said to be somewhere in the back of the boat.

There is a Emily Post-like etiquette lesson to be learned here: If you’re a fan, when sitting in judgement, be discreet — or at least don’t let your fawning behavior be caught by reporters so soon after the trial.

Meanwhile, the Post reports that Irv was spotted in church with the same juror over the weekend:

Irv Lorenzo, 35, the founder of the Murder Inc. record label, said he was scheduled to join his brother [in Las Vegas] and see a boxing match but decided to stay home with his family and follow through on a promise to attend church in Queens with juror Gloria Menzies.

Irv, flanked by Menzies, his children, parents and wife, sat in the back row of the Calvary Assembly of God Church in Ozone Park with a Bible open on his lap.

He quietly listened as the pastor preached about living with integrity.

Irv, who is credited with guiding the careers of Ashanti and Ja Rule after discovering rappers Jay-Z and DMX, also sang hymns and swayed to gospel music.

“I’m not a religious person, but I felt God and the spirit in the courtroom,” Irv said after the service. “I’m going to try and do the right thing.”