T.I. Court Date Postponed, Rapper Awaits Ruling On Evidence Supp

T.I. will have to wait several more weeks for a judge to decide whether critical evidence in the weapons case against him was acquired illegally. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S. Magistrate Alan Braverman has postponed a suppression hearing, previously scheduled for yesterday (Jan. 3), until February 19. The hearing was in regards to a motion filed by T.I.'s defense this November, to suppress evidence in the federal weapons case against T.I. The motion, filed on behalf of Tip, whose real name is Clifford Harris, Jr., says that on the day of his arrest, the police search on his car was performed without "a warrant, consent or probable cause," and as a result "all evidence obtained in the searches and all statements as well as fruits thereof must be suppressed." The government's case could be in serious jeopardy if T.I.'s lawyers are able to successfully argue the motion to suppress. As SOHH previously reported, T.I. was arrested Oct. 13, just hours before the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta for allegedly attempting to purchase machine guns and silencers in a drugstore parking lot. T.I. has pleaded not guilty on the charges. He was released pending trial on a $3 million bond under strict conditions which include home confinement. If convicted, he could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each weapons charge. Since his arrest, T.I. has announced plans for a new album Paper Trail, expected for release sometime this year.