14 October (Belizean.com) Up to Tuesday October 13 no word had been received in Belize as to whether rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow would be deported to the the land of his birth after serving more than eight years for his involvement in a New York nightclub shooting involving Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jennifer Lopez.

Callers to popular radio morning shows in Belize referred to the former Bad Boy record label star as being in a state of limbo as lawyers including Harvard Law Professor and member of President Obama's inner circle Charles Ogletree fight to resist Jamal's deportation to Belize. The 30 year old rapper was released from prison on October 6th, but immediately detained in New York by Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities (I.C.E.) pending verification of his immigration status. The rapper currently faces a $130 million civil lawsuit brought by individuals injured in the shooting spree at the now defunct Club New York.

Shyne's estranged father Dean Barrow, who is currently the Prime Minister of Belize, had last week written to New York Governor David Paterson to intercede with a pardon for his son to avoid having him returned to Belize. So far there is no official word that this plea has been addressed.

Meanwhile in an interview to local media in Belize over the weekend, Shyne's uncle Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing and close ally to Shyne's dad Dean Barrow revealed that there is a backup plan in case the young rapper he helped raise in Belize is deported.

Mr. Finnegan told the media that Shyne who at the time of his sentencing wanted to be repatriated to Belize, now wants to remain in the U.S.A.

But Mr. Finnegan stated that, "If he comes back here, he will be able to operate out of Europe. He will have to be able to operate out of Europe because he is committed with contracts.

"I would imagine that he'd want to be where the rest of his family is, where his mother is. But if that doesn't work out, then I see him operating out of Europe."

Mr. Finnegan had earlier stated that Shyne's old accommodations in Belize are ready and waiting for him.,

Belmopan, Belize 8 October (Belizean.com) Former Bad Boy rapper Shyne (born Jamal Barrow) is fighting deportation to Belize, according to his attorney Oscar Michelen. Shyne was released from prison on Tuesday October 6 after completing more than nine years of a ten year sentence following a 2001 New York nightclub shooting involving his mentor and felow rapper Diddy (Sean Combs) and Jennifer Lopez.

But he was immediately taken into custody by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities while his future immigration status is determined. Shyne was born in Belize to a Belizean woman, Imeon Myvette and his Belizean father Dean Barrow a politician and attorney who is now the Prime Minister of Belize. Ms. Myvette subsequently emigrated to the U.S.A. and her son eventually followed her to live there.

Shyne's attonery Oscar Michelen in an interview with Belize radio and T.V. stations in Belize today stated that Shyne wants to remain in the U.S.A. and his family has hired immigration lawyers in New York to try and ensure that he remains there.

According to Mr. Michelen, Shyne has a "green card", or permanent residence in the U.S. but never acquired U.S. nationality. Mr. Michelen said that his client is fighting deportation on two main grounds. Firstly that he has been a model prisoner, and secondly that he is the subject of a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit in the U.S.A. brought about by the victims of the shooting at the now defunct New York Club. But he admitted that because of the more strict post 911 immigration rules on deporting felons to the country of their birth, it will not be an easy battle.

Meanwhile in Belize, Shyne's uncle Michael Finnegan who is a member of the Belize Cabinet, Minister of Housing and close ally of Shyne's father Prime Minister Dean Barrow, told the media today that if Shyne is deported, he will be welcomed in Belize.

Hon. Michael Finnegan who helped raise Shyne as a child in Belize when his mother left for the U.S.A. said that "…his accomodations on Goldson Avenue where he grew up are ready and waiting for him in Belize if he is deported."