A judge on Thursday agreed to dismiss criminal charges against a former hip-hop radio disc jockey who insulted a rival DJ’s wife and young daughter in on-air rants.
Justice Ellen Gesmer adjourned the case against Troi Torain, known as DJ Star, for six months. At that time, charges of endangering a child’s welfare and weapon possession will be dropped as long as he has stayed out of further trouble.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Penelope Brady said her office agreed to this resolution “because it serves the best interest of the 4-year-old victim by sparing the victim any further attention.”
Torain called the outcome a victory for freedom of speech.
“I never should have been arrested in the first place,” he said in a telephone interview. “This was not a crime.”
Torain was arrested May 12 amid an uproar over his comments.
During on-air rants beginning May 3, Torain threatened to sexually abuse the rival DJ’s daughter and urinate on her. He offered $500 for information about where the girl went to school.
He also called the rival DJ’s wife, who’s part Asian, a “slant-eyed whore” and his daughter a “little lo mein eater.”
The arrest came after he was contacted by police and ordered to surrender a 9mm handgun and target-practice permit.
His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, had argued that he made the comments only after DJs at a competing hip-hop station barraged him with threats and degrading and sexually offensive remarks.
Torain, 42, co-hosted the syndicated “Star & Buc Wild Morning Show” on WWPR-FM (Power 105.1). His remarks, directed at Raashaun Casey, known as DJ Envy on WQHT-FM (Hot 97), led to his firing May 10.
DJ Star’s show aired in markets including Philadelphia, Miami and Richmond, Va.