James Rosemond

James Rosemond (born February 5, 1965[5]), often known as Jimmy Henchman or sometimes Jimmy Henchmen,[6][7] is an American entertainment industry executive and convicted drug trafficker.[8]

James Rosemond
Born (1965-02-05) February 5, 1965
New York, New York
NationalityAmerican
Other namesJimmy Henchman
OccupationMusic Executive
Years active1986 — Present
Criminal statusIncarcerated
ChildrenJames Rosemond, Jr.
Criminal chargeDrug trafficking,[1] obstruction of justice and possessing and using firearms,[2] conspiracy to commit murder[3]
PenaltyLife imprisonment[1][4]

Early life

James J. Rosemond was born in 1965, in Harlem, New York and grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, in an apartment complex called Vanderveer Gardens. His parents migrated from Haiti in the 1960s. They divorced when he was young, leaving his mother to raise five children alone.[9]

Entertainment career

Rosemond and several friends founded the music conference "How Can I Be Down" in 1992.[10][11]

In 2002, Rosemond negotiated the Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson boxing match. It was the first time that a boxer demanded that after a million buys on pay-per-view, the boxers would split the purse 50–50 with Showtime Networks/HBO.[12][13]

In 2003, Rosemond, along with the artist he managed, joined Russell Simmons in his campaign to end New York's draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws.[14][15]

Rosemond along with Shakim Compere and Mona Scott, executive produced BET's SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti, a telethon held at Miami's American Airlines Arena on February 5, 2010, to raise money for the devastated victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake that killed over 100,000 people.[16]

Circa 1996, Rosemond founded Henchmen, the company that would later become the rap management company Czar.[17] He was the CEO of Czar,[18] when it managed The Game, Sean Kingston, Brandy, Gucci Mane, Guerilla Black, Salt-n-Pepa and Akon.[19] He was a known figure in the hip hop music industry, described in a 2012 The New York Times article as "a prince at the royal court, whose ties to rap music’s biggest stars were known far and wide."[20] Rosemond was behind Salt-n-Pepa's "Shoop"[21] and he was The Game's manager during a feud with 50 Cent when The Game recorded the diss track "300 Bars and Runnin."[22] In 2006, Henchman and 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) settled a lawsuit regarding a DVD that Czar Entertainment released about 50 Cent's namesake, Kelvin "50 Cent" Martin, in which interviews with Jackson were alleged to have been inappropriately used. In the settlement, a charity was created with funds going to support Martin and his children.[23]

Criminal charges and conviction

Drug trafficking, money laundering and witness tampering convictions

In June 2010, he was arrested on charges of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, and witness tampering. Rosemond went on trial in May 2012, represented by Gerald Shargel.[24]

On June 5, 2012, Rosemond was convicted in Federal District Court in Brooklyn of drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, firearms violations and other financial crimes associated with his position as head of a multi-million-dollar transnational cocaine-selling organization.[25] At trial, it was alleged that Rosemond led the large scale, bi-coastal narcotics-trafficking organization that transported cocaine from Los Angeles, California to the New York metropolitan area. The group, known as the "Rosemond Organization," in turn shipped cash proceeds from the narcotics sales back to Los Angeles using a variety of methods as part of its operation. Millions of dollars in cash and narcotics were sent through Federal Express and United Parcel Service, often covered in mustard to avoid discovery by detection dogs.[26] In the indictment, prosecutors noted that Rosemond made over $11 million a year since 2007 through his drug trafficking scheme.[27]

On October 25, 2013, Rosemond was sentenced to life imprisonment.[1][8][28] As part of his sentence, Rosemond forfeited approximately $14 million in cash and property.[26] United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch said that Rosemond's carefully crafted image as a music mogul was in reality "a cover for the real Jimmy Rosemond - a thug in a suit."[28] Presiding judge John Gleeson remarked that he would have sentenced Rosemond to life even if it were not legally required as his crimes were "astonishing in their breadth, duration and intensity." [28]

On March 10, 2016, Rosemond filed a habeas corpus appeal seeking a new trial along with a complaint to the U.S. Justice Department Office of Professional Responsibility against former U.S. Attorney Todd Kaminsky citing actions taken with regard to securing testimony from the government's lead witness Henry "Black" Butler.[29][30] In 2019, the court dismissed the case.[31]

Murder for hire

In June 2012, Rosemond was charged with four crimes[32] in connection with the death of G-Unit affiliate Lowell "Lodi Mack" Fletcher, including murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder.[3] Rosemond is alleged to have arranged a murder as payback for the alleged assault on his son by Tony Yayo.[33] The trial began on February 10, 2014 in a New York[34] federal court.[32] More than 35 witnesses testified at the trial. Closing arguments finished on March 4, 2014.[32] The jury deliberations resulted in a hung jury on the four counts for both Rosemond and co-defendant Johnson.[35] Rosemond came before a jury again in December 2014 and on December 11 the jury found him guilty on all charges for the murder of Lowell "Lodi Mack" Fletcher.[36]

On March 23, 2015, Rosemond was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years by Judge Colleen McMahon in his murder-for-hire case.[37] In 2020, Rosemond lost his appeal at the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.[38] The court agreed that he was properly convicted of murder-for-hire charges.

Personal life

Rosemond has a son, James Rosemond, Jr., with Cynthia Reed of Staten Island.[39]

In 2008, the LA Times retracted and apologized for a story which had alleged that Rosemond had been involved in a criminal event.[40] The story was based on documents created by a person convicted of fraud that had been falsely believed to be from an FBI file.[40]

Rosemond is profiled in the 2016 documentary series Unjust Justice: The Jimmy Rosemond Tapes, an investigative look into his life and criminal cases.[41]

Henchman was mentioned by name by Tupac Shakur in his song "Against All Odds" on his album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, on which Shakur raps "promise to payback Jimmy Henchman in due time." Tupac believed that Henchman was involved in setting up the shooting and robbery of Shakur at the Quad Recording Studios in New York in November 1994. In 2012, a man named Dexter Isaac, serving a life sentence for unrelated crimes, claimed that he attacked Shakur that night and that the robbery was indeed orchestrated by Rosemond.[42]

American rapper Rick Ross acknowledges Rosemond as a mentor in his song "Ghostwriter" from the album Black Market: "Remember receiving words of wisdom from Jimmy Henchman I lit a blunt in his honor when he received his sentence."[43]

References
  1. Riley, John (June 21, 2011). "James Rosemond, hip-hop's "Jimmy Henchman," gets life". Newsday.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  2. Schwirtz, Michael (June 5, 2012). "Rap Music Figure Convicted of Running Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine Ring". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  3. Flegenheimer, Matt (June 22, 2012). "6 Charged in Murder of Rapper 50 Cent's Associate". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  4. "Rap promoter gets life in prison in NYC drug case - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. October 3, 2002. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  5. USA v. Rosemond (2:98-cr-00550-DT), Filing #3, Case Summary (C.D. Cal. March 6, 2000).Text
  6. Parker, Derrick; Diehl, Matt (April 1, 2007). Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from NYPD's First "Hip-Hop. St. Martin's Press. pp. 294–. ISBN 9781429907781. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  7. Lazerine, Devin; Lazerine, Cameron (February 29, 2008). Rap-Up: The Ultimate Guide to Hip-Hop and R&B. Grand Central Publishing. pp. 168–. ISBN 9780446511629. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  8. Samaha, Albert (October 28, 2013). "James Rosemond, Hip-Hop Manager Tied to Tupac Shooting, Gets Life Sentence for Drug Trafficking". Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  9. "Tupac Shakur, the Los Angeles Times, and Why I'm Still Unemployed: A Personal History by Chuck Philips". Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  10. "Exclusive- Jimmy Henchman answers rumors accusations". dondivamag.com. Don Diva Magazine. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  11. "Who Exactly is Jimmy Henchman?". TheUrbanDaily.Com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  12. "James Rosemond, Jr. Signs Lantana To Management Deal". Weekly Hip Hop. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  13. "James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison". Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  14. "JAILED JIMMY HENCHMAN & RUSSELL SIMMONS RELEASE STATEMENTS ON CHRIS LIGHTY". sohh.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  15. "Charged as lobbyists, Simmons and Chavis fight back". EBSCO HOST Connection. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  16. "Wyclef jean shot in haiti". necolebitchie.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  17. Hillary Crosley (December 9, 2006). The Billboard Q&A: Jimmy Rosemond. Billboard. pp. 21–. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  18. "Rapper Tony Yayo Gets Community Service for Harassment of 14-Year-Old Boy". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company: 37. March 10, 2008. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  19. "Jimmy Henchman Sentenced To Life Behind Bars". Vibe. October 26, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  20. Schwartz, Michael (June 5, 2012). "Rap Music Figure Convicted of Running Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine Ring". The New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  21. "Hip-Hop Mogul James Rosemond Indicted on Murder Charge". Billboard. June 25, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  22. Golianopoulos, Thomas (December 2006). He Stands Alone. SPIN Media LLC. pp. 85–. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  23. "Latest News from the Biz: 50 Cent Settles". Billboard. April 1, 2006. pp. 8–. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  24. Schweeber, Nate (May 14, 2012). "Drug Trial Starts for Figure Prominent in Rap World". The New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2012. Prosecutors say James Rosemond is a drug kingpin, and he went on trial Monday in federal court in Brooklyn on charges that he led a criminal enterprise that sold millions of dollars [sic] worth of cocaine, laundered money and tampered with witnesses.
  25. Schwirtz, Michael (June 5, 2012). "Rap Music Figure Convicted of Running Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine Ring". N.Y./Region. The New York Times. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  26. "USDOJ: US Attorney's Office - Eastern District of New York". Justice.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  27. Schweeber, Nate (May 14, 2012). "Drug Trial Starts for Figure Prominent in Rap World". The New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  28. Secret, Mosi (October 25, 2013). "Hip-Hop Figure Gets Life Sentence for Drug Ring". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  29. "James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond Appeals For New Trial, Claims Star Witness Received Benefits". Hiphopwired.com. April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  30. "Star Prosecution Witness Against James Rosemond Received Substantial Benefits to Testify". James Rosemond: Life, Legacy & the Law. April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  31. Rosemond v. United States, 378 F. Supp. 3d 169, (E.D.N.Y. 2019) 11-cr-424. 5 May 2019.
  32. Rys, Dan. "Jury Begins Deliberations In Jimmy Henchman Murder For Hire Trial - XXL". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  33. Baron, Zach (October 9, 2009). "Tony Yayo's Assault on a 14-Year-Old Kid May Have Gotten Someone Killed". Blogs.villagevoice.com. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  34. "50 Cent Mocks Jimmy Henchman on Instagram". BET. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  35. "Jimmy Henchman Murder For Hire Trial Results In Hung Jury". XXL Mag. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  36. "Jimmy Henchman Found Guilty In "Murder-For-Hire" Plot Against G-Unit Associate". allhiphop.com. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  37. "Former Hip-Hop Mogul Gets Life In Prison In Murder-For-Hire Plot". The New York Times. AP. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  38. "Promoter Who Ordered 50 Cent's Friend Killed Loses Appeal". CBS New York. AP. May 1, 2020.
  39. "50 Cent and Universal sued for pushing gangsta life". Mobile.reuters.com. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  40. Rainey, James (April 7, 2008). "Times retracts Shakur story". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  41. "The Case Of James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond To Be Examined In New Web Series 'Unjust Justice'". Allhiphop.com. January 21, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  42. "The Case Of James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond To Be Examined In New Web Series 'Unjust Justice'". Historyhollywood.com. n.d. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  43. "Rick Ross - Ghostwriter lyrics". Genius.com. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
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