Rapper Lil Wayne appeared in court for a pretrial update on the investigation into drug possession and weapons charges he faces in Yuma County, Ariz.
His attorney said he was in good spirits, even stopping to sign autographs for about a dozen fans after the hearing in Yuma.
Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, was arrested at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 8 east of Yuma in January 2008. Authorities said they found cocaine, Ecstasy and a handgun on his tour bus.
He was ordered by a judge to attend Tuesday’s pretrial hearing.
James Tilson, the rapper’s attorney, said he told the Yuma County Superior Court judge that the U.S. Border Patrol hasn’t turned over records the defense requested months ago.
Tilson said border officials told the Yuma County Attorney’s Office they do not plan to release the training record of the drug-sniffing dog used in the incident.
“If the dog is not reliable, then that puts the entire probable cause for the stop into question,” he said.
Tilson also plans to renew a request for any video recorded by border cameras the day the rapper was stopped.
The judge set another court date for Aug. 11.
Carter faces one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of dangerous drugs and weapons misconduct. He previously pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In March, a judge in Atlanta dismissed drug charges stemming from a 2006 bust against the rapper. Carter, who won three Grammys for his album, “Tha Carter III,” was recently ranked as one of the top-earning concert tours.
