[Editor's note: Over the holiday season, SonicNet is looking back at 1999's top stories, chosen by our editors and writers. This story originally ran on Thursday, Jan. 21.]

NEW YORK — Ol' Dirty Bastard's mother called the attempted-murder

charges against her son "crazy" and "ludicrous" on Thursday (Jan. 21) and

claimed her son has never been in possession of a gun.

"My son has never carried a gun in his life," said Cherry Jones, who was in

criminal court here while ODB's lawyer waived the deadline for the grand jury to

reach a decision on whether to indict the rapper. A new court date was set for

Feb. 5.

ODB's mother was in the back row of the courtroom, as were his two sisters.

However, the rapper waived his right to appear in court, according to Patrick

Clark, a spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney's office.

ODB's lawyer, Peter Frankel, explained later that he waived the deadline

because he wants to give the grand jury time to hear more evidence in the case,

rather than relying solely on the testimony of police officers.

Theresa General, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn district attorney's office, said

she couldn't comment on the grand jury's deliberation process.

ODB (born Russell Tyrone Jones) was arrested Friday after an alleged shootout

with police, who said they had pulled him over for driving erratically with his

headlights off. Police said ODB was wearing a bulletproof vest when he was

arrested.

On Saturday, the rapper was arraigned on charges of first- and second-degree

attempted murder of a police officer and second- and third-degree possession of

a weapon.

Frankel said ODB, who has been in jail since Friday and did not appear in court,

probably would be released on bail Thursday night.

Law-enforcement officials have said they have yet to find the gun they claim

was used in the shooting.

Frankel said after Thursday's hearing that the rapper "says there was no gun;

there was no shooting."

The rapper's personal manager, Bo Glasper, who was in the courtroom

Thursday, said ODB had the vest because "he's been shot twice before. He

wants to protect himself."

Law-enforcement officials are awaiting the results of paraffin tests on ODB's

vehicle and clothing in an effort to determine whether a gun was fired.

Frankel and prosecutor John Omara met briefly Thursday before Judge Jerome

Kay, who set the new hearing date.

(Contributing Editor Teri vanHorn contributed to this report.)