Cardi B Faces 8 Years In Prison For Strip Club Fight: Her Chances Of Escaping Jail Time – Lawyer Explains

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Cardi B showed up to court on June 25 and pleaded not guilty to her alleged participation in a strip club fight in Aug. 2018 but two lawyers EXCLUSIVELY told HL what could happen if she’s found guilty.

Cardi B, 26, made headlines when she appeared at Queens County Supreme Court in New York on June 25 to face the 14 charges she’s up against in regards to a strip club brawl that happened in Aug. 2018. The rapper pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include two counts of felony attempted assault, two days after she told fans, “I ain’t going to jail, I got a daughter,” in reference to her 11-month-old baby girl Kulture, who she shares with her husband Offset, 27. However, two lawyers EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife that there is still a chance she could face up to eight years in prison depending on what happens in the courtroom.

Julie Rendelman, New York criminal attorney, explained how the felonies she’s faced with work. “Cardi B has been charged with multiple counts, including two felony counts for Attempted Assault in the Second Degree,” Rendelman EXCLUSIVELY told us. “Both counts are considered ‘E’ felonies, which is the lowest possible felony in New York. If convicted of either felony, she could be looking at anywhere from probation to a maximum sentence of 4 years incarceration.”

Rendelman went on to say that although that means she could face the eight years, it’s not likely. “She technically could but I don’t see any judge ever imposing such a sentence,” she admitted. “Many criminal defense attorneys I’ve spoken to are surprised that this case resulted in an indictment as many cases with similar fact patterns have resulted in a non-criminal resolution. With that said, it’s certainly possible there are facts that we are unaware of.”

Rendelman also told us what can be expected next in Cardi’s case. “Now that she has been indicted, counsel for Cardi B will begin to request ‘discovery’, which will include evidence that the prosecutor intends to use to prove their case,” Rendelman explained. “Evidence can include video surveillance, 911 calls, police reports etc. Once they review the discovery and conduct their own investigation, they will make a determination as to the best strategy going forward….do they want to try to resolve the case pre-trial, or fight this case before a jury.”

A trial is something that could happen if the parties don’t come to an agreement. “Quite frankly, if both sides were not able to resolve this case pre-indictment, I would be surprised if this case doesn’t end with a trial,” Rendelman said. “Keep in mind that there appears to be a pending civil claim by the alleged victims. Any plea by Cardi B would impact that civil claim. On the other hand, any evidence that the complainants are seeking monetary gain via a civil settlement can help the defense in raising credibility questions.”

Todd A. Spodek, New York criminal attorney, also weighed in on the case and EXCLUSIVELY told us what Cardi and her legal team will have to do to try and get a not guilty verdict. “Ultimately, her lawyers will have to argue that the prosecutors can not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she never intended to conspire, assault, or harass the complainant,” Spodek said. “A thorough investigation into the complainant’s motives will be done and obviously eyewitness both before, during and after the alleged incident will have to be interviewed.”