ONCE AGAIN, THE PHONE
IS YOUR FRIEND

Cell phone advocates always say that the phone can save your life. Now, rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow is hoping that bit of information isn't just hype.

Barrow, along with Sean "Puffy" Combs, is a co-defendant in a Club New York shooting on Dec. 27 last year. Barrow is accused of attempted murder in the second degree and is charged with assault and illegal weapons possession. Combs is accused of felony gun possession and bribing a witness.

According to Sonicnet.com, in pretrial testimony yesterday (6/21), Barrow's lawyer Ian Niles introduced his cellular phone records as proof that Niles made two calls to New York's Midtown South police precinct and one to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Niles claims he told a police officer, on the day of the shooting, that he was Barrow's lawyer and that officers shouldn't proceed without contacting him first.

On that same day, police used Barrow in three lineups, where two witnesses identified Barrow as the shooter. Niles' contention is that police ignored Barrow's right not to incriminate himself. If the judge finds that police ignored Barrow's call, Barrow's other lawyer, Murray Richman, will ask that the lineup evidence be thrown out.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos pressed the fact that Niles' record of a call to the precinct wasn't evidence enough that he spoke to any member of the New York City Police Department. Niles could not remember to whom he spoke, but whoever it was simply shouted out ,"Wazzup!" A department spokesman said that didn't narrow the possibilities down at all.

A continuation of the hearing has been set for June 28.