The Game pleads not guilty to felony charges

Compton, CA rapper The Game pleaded not guilty Tuesday (Sept. 25) to three felony charges in court.

The Game (born Jayceon Terrell Taylor) was charged with one count each of making criminal threats, possession of a firearm in a school zone and exhibiting a firearm on the grounds of a facility for minors.

The felony charges stem from an alleged run-in with Rodrick Shannon during a Feb. 24 basketball game at a South Los Angeles school.
Shannon testified at a Sept. 4 preliminary hearing that he exchanged words with the rapper during the game, which took place at the Rita Walters Educational Learning Complex.

The Game, who was playing for an opposing team, hit Shannon in the left cheek with a closed fist after telling him that his team was “garbage,” according to Shannon, who testified that he and the rapper later got into a fighting stance.
Soon after, The Game went out a door after people from his team grabbed Shannon.
As he went into the Complex parking lot to look for his son, Shannon revealed that he became fearful as he saw Taylor reach into a Cadillac Escalade and wield a firearm.

"He started proceeding towards me. The gun was still in his hand,” Shannon said on the stand. “He yelled that I'm a ... fool. I turned around and ran because I feared for my life."
During cross-examination, Shannon denied any intention to file lawsuit against The Game.
He later testified that the 27-year-old rapper had his gun pointed down at the time of the incident.
Los Angeles police caught up with The Game at his home in Glendale on May 11 as they executed a search warrant and arrested the former G-Unit member.

The Game is currently free on $50,000 bail.
A pretrial hearing for the case is scheduled for Oct. 30.
If convicted, The Game could face more than five years in prison.