Weeks ago, hip hop legend Eric B. was taken into custody over a near-two-decades-old case. Eric B., full name Eric Barrier, was alerted of a warrant issued for his arrest 17 years ago. He turned himself in and spent days in jail, but he insisted that he had no idea about the warrant in question. Not only did Barrier spend his 56th birthday behind bars, but his acting role may have been jeopardized.
"He advised me that his role on Blue Bloods will be compromised and he will likely have his contract voided if he is not released from the (jail) at this time to explain this entire situation to his producers/directors," attorney Patrick Toscano wrote to Judge James Guida. The case stemmed from an incident that occurred back in 2001 where Barrier found himself facing charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest/eluding. He entered a guilty plea and although he's recently been told he was supposed to return to court months later, Barrier says his lawyer at the time, Paul Bergrin, told him he didn't have to. Bergrin is currently in prison serving six life sentences for drug trafficking, murder, and a number of other heinous crimes.
There were murmurs that Barrier was facing upwards of five years in prison for his old case, but on Friday it was announced that he was able to walk away with a year of probation. The prosecutor stated that he didn't think that the punishment was enough, but Barrier reportedly said after the hearing that he was glad the entire ordeal was over.
