Flavor Flav to fight Vegas domestic abuse charges

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Flavor Flav intends to fight criminal charges and seek reconciliation with his longtime fiancee after an argument led to his arrest last week, the entertainer's lawyer said Monday.

The 53-year-old former rap, hip-hop and reality TV star, whose legal name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr., didn't appear in person during a hearing before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa.

Drayton's attorney Tony Abbatangelo told The Associated Press his client plans to plead not guilty to allegations that he pushed his girlfriend of eight years to the floor and wielded two knives as he chased and threatened the woman's 17-year-old son during an argument Wednesday at their home in Las Vegas.

Drayton is charged with felony assault and misdemeanor domestic battery. He could face up to six years in prison if convicted of the assault charge and six months in jail on the domestic battery charge.

"They've been together a long time, and they want to work this out," Abbatangelo said. "We want what's best for the family."

Elizabeth Trujillo, 39, told police her earring was ripped out during the incident that she said stemmed from an argument over infidelity. The teen wasn't injured.

Trujillo told police her son intervened after Drayton grabbed her and twice threw her to the ground.

The teen wrestled with Drayton before Drayton grabbed two large knives and chased him through the living room to an upstairs bedroom, where Drayton was accused of kicking in the door and threatening the teen while still holding both knives, according to a police report.

Drayton told the arresting officer he scuffled with Trujillo and her son but denied chasing or threatening the teen, the report states.

Drayton's public persona includes wearing an oversized clock on his chest. He was a member of the rap group Public Enemy in the 1980s and '90s, and later starred in reality TV series.

He has a criminal history that includes a month in jail for assaulting his then-girlfriend in 1991, and three months in prison for shooting at a neighbor in New York in 1993.

The judge set a Nov. 20 date for an evidence hearing.