[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, Feb. 4.]

NEW YORK — Calling officers who arrested him liars, Ol'

Dirty Bastard claimed Thursday (Feb. 4) the cops opened fire on him for no reason last

month and he has a gaping bullet hole in his truck to prove it.

"I thought the police were good guys back in the days ... till the motherf---ers started

shooting guns," ODB (born Russell Tyrone Jones) said during a profanity-laced tirade for

which he later apologized.

ODB, who had been charged with attempted murder of a police officer, talked about the alleged incident during a press conference at which he vowed to

sue the New York Police Department. The conference was held a day after a grand jury

decided to dismiss, for lack of evidence, attempted murder of a police officer charges

against him.

A police spokesperson, meanwhile, said police, who have acknowledged firing at the

rapper but said they did so in self-defense, may continue seeking evidence to implicate

ODB.

"I ain't really into guns," the Wu-Tang Clan member said. "Now I got a hole in my truck

this big." He used his hands to demonstrate a cantaloupe-size hole.

Police claimed ODB shot at them after they pulled over him and his cousin, Sunz of Man

rapper Frederick Cuffie, for an alleged traffic violation in Brooklyn's Crown Heights

section on Jan. 15.

But ODB said the only shots were fired by police.

"They was lying," he said. "I don't even own no gun. I don't own no gun. Period. Streets

are wild, streets are crazy and sh--, but I deal with chances, I just keep it moving."

The rapper's mother, Cherry Jones, told reporters police fired eight shots. "They were

wrong in shooting," she said.

"They could have killed ... my nephew and him," she added, looking at her 30-year-old

son as he sat with his lawyer Peter Frankel and personal manager, Bo Glasper. "So we

have to exonerate him. We have to sue."

The rapper, dressed in a tan leather jacket bearing the Wu-Wear logo, and his mother

appeared with Glasper and Frankel in Frankel's downtown office. Frankel said ODB

could sue for wrongful arrest or for a civil-rights violation.

"There are numerous and various theories that are available to the family," the lawyer

said.

He said it's too early to say what amount of damages ODB would seek, but the rapper

said, "As much money as I can get, I'm going to get it."

Detective Walter Burns, a spokesperson for the New York City Police Department, had

no comment on the prospects of a lawsuit. He said if police find any new evidence in the

case, new charges may be brought against ODB.

The gun ODB was alleged to have used hasn't been found, and tests on his hands for

gunpowder residue were inconclusive, Frankel said.

Patrick Clark, a spokesperson for Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes, said

Thursday the case is scheduled to be formally dismissed in Brooklyn Criminal Court on

Friday (Feb. 5).

ODB, who grew up in Brooklyn, told reporters that until recently he had a good

relationship with local police.

"I know a lot of officers in New York City," he said. "They pull me over, they see it's Ol'

Dirty Bastard, and [say], 'Oh, keep going, get the f--- outta here.' That's how it is, 'cause

I'm not no bad guy."

Other rappers on Thursday called Ol' Dirty Bastard lucky.

"Everyone was like, 'There's no way in hell he's getting out of this sh--,' " said rap star Slick Rick

(born Rick Walters), who spent six years in prison for attempted murder. "God was

looking after him on this one."

"He got off???" said hip-hop star Big Punisher (born Christopher Rios), who was in

New York that afternoon for a video shoot.

Big Pun, who has had his own run-ins with the law in the past year, said something

similar could have happened to any high-profile hip-hopper.

"If you're in the spotlight with an album, people are going to see you under a magnifying

glass," he said. "You have to keep a low profile. It all comes with money and the fame."

Big Pun and fellow rapper Fat Joe (Joe Cartegena) were accused of beating and

robbing a man at New York's Puerto Rican Day Parade July 14, but the victim refused to

testify and the case was dismissed last fall.

Frankel said the Kings County District Attorney's office conducted a "full and fair"

investigation into the ODB incident, but he was critical of the police's behavior.

"The use of excessive force, especially the unnecessary use of firearms, compromises

the safety of every citizen and reduces the public's confidence and trust in law

enforcement," he said.

ODB said he is planning to sue the New York City Police Department, the officers involved in his

arrest and the city of New York. "The [Wu-Tang] Clan and I, we do a lot of good things for

the community," the rapper said.

After reporters who were videotaping the press conference asked ODB to stop swearing

so they could use the footage on TV, ODB said, "I'll stop cursing, I'm just upset."

"Sorry, Mom," he added.

ODB still faces legal troubles in the Los Angeles area. A pre-trial

hearing is scheduled in Santa Monica Superior Court Monday over ODB's Sept.

17 arrest for allegedly threatening to kill two security guards after he was ejected from

the House of Blues.

He also is due in Compton Superior Court on Tuesday for allegedly threatening to kill an

ex-girlfriend.

"I don't want to talk about it, but I mean, the accusations with that is false also," ODB said.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, because I don't like the facts of all this crazy stuff."

ODB also said his second solo album, Nigga, Please, is almost finished, and

scheduled for release in June. He said he hopes to get Madonna, Little Richard and

Natalie Cole to appear on the album. Manager Glasper said the rapper also is trying to

woo Mariah Carey to sing on the record.

His solo debut, Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, included

"Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (RealAudio

excerpt) and "Brooklyn Zoo" (RealAudio

excerpt).

(Contributing Editor Christopher O'Connor contributed to this report.)