Rapper Charged With Making Death Threats

Grammy-winning rapper “Flesh-N-Bone” was charged Thursday with making terrorist threats against his Chatsworth neighbors, who are key witnesses against him in an earlier criminal case.

Stanley Howse, 24, a founding member of the rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, pleaded not guilty Thursday and was held in lieu of $284,000 bail after prosecutors argued he was “a threat to the community.”

In the latest incident, authorities allege Howse threatened to kill 63-year-old neighbor Steven Gambino and to assault Gambino’s wife.

Last week, neighbors complained to police that Howse was firing off guns and fireworks at his house, which led to the rapper’s arrest July 4. He was released Monday.

Howse faces at least 15 years in prison if convicted of the new intimidation charges, compared to a maximum of about seven years in the Fourth of July incident, authorities said.

Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert B. Foltz asked for $1-million bail, but Commissioner Gerald T. Richardson set the lower amount.

The latest incident took place Wednesday evening at a Chatsworth-area hacienda-style home Howse is renting. Howse allegedly climbed on the roof of the house and launched into an obscenity-filled tirade.

“He shouted at the top of his lungs, ‘I’m going to buy your house and bury you in the backyard,”’ Foltz alleged Howse said.

“He showed complete contempt for his neighbors,” Foltz said.

Earlier this week Howse, whose sound blends rap and soulful harmony, was charged by the county district attorney’s office with firing a shotgun and possession of an unregistered assault weapon and explosives at his home. He was released after posting $500,000 bail. In that incident, Howse’s brother-in-law, Jamar Tarik Cole, 19, was also charged and spent the weekend in custody.

In court Thursday, Foltz stated that Howse has two previous convictions for domestic violence and the new charges could mean he violated the terms of his probation.

Foltz also said that still more charges could be filed against the rapper for a June 25 incident in which Gambino said he was beaten, kicked, spit on and had rocks thrown at him when he asked his neighbor to turn down loud music. Gambino declined to comment Thursday.

Howse’s lawyer saw the latest incident differently.

“There was no confrontation, no weapons, some words and a mooning,” said Alan Baum, who represented the rapper in court.

“The words are not to be condoned, but they do not rise to the level the district attorney is alleging.”

Gambino’s attorney, Barry Mitidiere, said his client is fearful.

About 6 p.m. Wednesday, Mitidiere said, the walls at the Gambino home started vibrating and shaking from loud music at the rapper’s house.

Next the Gambinos say they heard a stream of obscenities over the music.

“When Mr. Gambino went out to his truck, Stan Howse shouted, ‘I’ll kill you, your wife and your whole family,’ ” the lawyer said.