Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 2:17 am Post subject: FAITH EVAN'S MUGSHOT
Faith Evans and husband Todd Russaw in their booking photos Tuesday night.
R&B singer Faith Evans arrested on drug charges
By BILL MONTGOMERY and MIKE MORRIS
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
A traffic stop in Hapeville Tuesday night resulted in multi-platinum recording artist Faith Evans and her husband facing drug charges in Fulton County.
The 30-year-old R&B singer, at the wheel of a silver 2003 Hummer, and her husband and manager Todd Russaw, 35, were pulled over around 7:50 p.m. Tuesday night on North Central Avenue in Hapeville for allegedly driving on an auto dealer's "driveout tag" without an expiration date, said Hapeville police Capt. William Lyons.
When Sgt. Stephen Cushing approached "he smelled a strong odor of burning marijuana, and asked them to exit the car," Lyons said.
Cushing found a partially smoked suspected marijuana joint in the car's ashtray, and a metal cigarette case containing about a quarter gram of powdered cocaine, Lyons said.
Police also found a suspected marijuana cigarette in Evans' purse after the arrest, Lyons added.
Fulton sheriff's Lt. Clarence Huber said Evans, 30, was charged with having an improper license tag. She and Russaw were each charged with violation of Georgia's controlled substance act for marijuana and cocaine possession.
At a first appearance hearing at the Fulton County jail late Wednesday morning, Fulton Magistrate Mike Wallace set a $12,000 bond for Evans, and $11,000 bond for Russaw.
Defense attorney Vincent Dimmock unsuccessfully urged Wallace to dismiss the charges against the singer. Russaw "admits he was in full possession of the narcotics found in the passenger door where Todd was sitting," Dimmock said.
Huber said Evans and Russaw were released on bond from jail Wednesday afternoon.
Wallace scheduled a probable cause hearing for Evans and Russaw on Feb. 11 at the Fulton County Justice Center.
"Speaking for both my clients, these charges are absolutely ridiculous, especially concerning Ms. Evans," Dimmock told reporters after Wednesday's hearing.
"She asks her fans to pray for her," Dimmock added.
Evans recently appeared in "The Fighting Temptations," a movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles.
The recording artist has worked with entertainers including Whitney Houston and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.
Combs signed her to his Bad Boy label and produced Evans' first album, which included the singles "You Used to Love Me," and "Soon As I Get Home."
Evans earned a Grammy nomination for her duet "Can't Believe" with Carl Thomas, recorded on her third album, "Faithfully," released in 2001.
Evans, who has three children, was formerly married to rapper Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in a 1997 drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.
