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Jermaine Jones Kicked Off 'American Idol' Over Criminal Record

By Andrew Chow, Esq. on March 14, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

"American Idol" contestant Jermaine Jones is set to be kicked off the show tonight, after producers learned Jones failed to disclose details about his violent criminal record, gossip website TMZ reports.

Jones, 25, of Pine Hill, N.J., confirmed via Twitter that he's being booted from "Idol": "Awww I will no longer b on the show," he said, according to USA Today. Jones' Twitter account has already been deleted.

Jones, a 6-foot-8-inch tall soulful singer known as the "Gentle Giant," was kicked off the show a few weeks ago, only to be brought back into the competition. This time, his disqualification is permanent -- and in true "Idol" style, producers are milking it for all it's worth.

"American Idol" producers confronted Jermaine Jones about his undisclosed criminal record Tuesday afternoon, TMZ reports. The on-camera confrontation is set to air on tonight's "Idol" episode before Jones is dramatically sent home.

Show producers first became suspicious after Jones' father called him out on an apparent lie: Jones had claimed his father abandoned him a decade ago -- but his dad denied that, according to TMZ.

After digging deeper into Jones' background, producers discovered he was arrested twice in 2011, and gave police a fake name both times, TMZ reports. One of the incidents involved violence, according to TMZ.

Jones also has outstanding arrest warrants, TMZ reports.

Jermaine Jones is not the first "American Idol" contestant to be kicked off for failing to disclose a criminal record. "Idol" hopeful Corey Clark was disqualified from the show's second season for concealing his arrest in connection with a battery charge.

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