50 Cent Settles Custody Dispute

10/24/08 1:03pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

On Thursday morning, it took just five minutes in court for 50 Cent and his ex-girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins, to settle a custody dispute over their son.

Although the former couple fought for months over custody rights for their son Marquise, 12, the judge awarded 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) the ability to visit his son one weekend every month after just a few minutes in court. 50 Cent had asked for two weekend visits a month. His lawyer Brent Kimmel told People magazine that the rapper was "pleased" with the settlement. But Tompkins didn't seem so happy after the hearing.

"Despite my feelings for Mr. Jackson, that's Marquise's dad," Tompkins told reporters. "I want him to have a positive relationship with his dad."

According to Newsday, Tomkins' lawyer Paul Catsandonis said the custody dispute was rooted in a "suspicious" fire that burned 50 Cent's $2.4 million U.S. Long Island, N.Y. mansion to the ground at the end of May.

Tompkins had been living in the home, which 50 Cent owned, with Marquise and her son from another marriage at the time. Tompkins accused 50 Cent of planning the fire. Although 50 Cent was not named as a suspect, police launched an arson investigation into the fire, which is ongoing.

50 Cent had been trying to evict her from the home because she would not pay him the $4,500 in monthly rent that he'd been demanding. She launched a lawsuit in response, and claimed he had told her he'd transfer the some or all of the home to her name.