Rapper Chopper to answer assault charges

ATLANTA, March 2 (UPI) -- The rapper Chopper, scheduled to appear in an Atlanta courtroom on assault charges, has a Maryland bench warrant issued against him for failing to appear.

Tuesday's Atlanta court appearance stems from Chopper's recent arrest for an argument involving his girlfriend, AllHipHop.com said. The girlfriend called her sister, whose boyfriend confronted the rapper, who allegedly had a knife.

Chopper, whose real name is Kevin Barnes, was charged with simple assault, aggravated assault and obstruction of a police officer, authorities said.

The former member of Da Band missed a court appearance in Maryland Wednesday, prompting the judge to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. In that matter, Chopper was accused of causing a scene at mall in 2001, when he allegedly showed a BB gun to a couple and later took $90 from the man.

The trial originally was scheduled for December, but the state did not complete a reverse juvenile waiver for Chopper, who was 16 when the crime was committed, authorities said.

Chopper made his first court appearance, but his attorney said his client thought the case was dropped when he didn't hear back from court officials.