Rapper Busta Rhymes to face four New York trials

NEW YORK, July 10 (Reuters) Grammy-nominated rapper Busta Rhymes will face a string of trials for assault and driving violations after prosecutors lost a bid today to consolidate four cases against the performer into one case.

Rhymes, 34, who has been arrested four times since last summer, gave his defense attorney a celebratory ''high five'' hand slap after Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Larry Stephen rejected the prosecution's argument to combine the cases.

The separate cases will be tried consecutively, with an opening date to be set at a September. 5 hearing, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said.

The judge gave no public explanation for his decision, and the court papers have been ordered kept private and under seal on grounds that they detail the defense strategy.

''The decision today validates the defense's argument,'' said defense attorney Scott Leemon, who would not elaborate.

Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was arrested most recently on May 3 on suspicion of drunk driving.

Earlier this year, he was arrested for driving with a suspended license, and on a separate occasion on suspicion of assaulting his personal driver.

In August 2006 he was arrested for allegedly beating up a man who reportedly spit on his car.

Also in court today, Rhymes turned down, for a second time, a plea deal that would have sent him to jail for one year in exchange for a guilty plea to four misdemeanor charges.

He turned down a similar deal at a hearing in May.

Wearing a beige suit and flanked by two bodyguards, Rhymes kissed a courtroom sketch artist on the cheek before leaving the Manhattan courtroom.

Smith has recorded hits such as ''Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check,'' ''Dangerous'' and ''Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.'' REUTERS SBC PM2359