A$AP Rocky Found Not Guilty on 2 Counts of Felony Assault
Rapper A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers, has been found not guilty in a high-profile trial that made headlines, according to the New York Post. The case, which captured the attention of the media and fans, revolved around accusations of assault filed by Rocky’s former friend and collaborator, A$AP Relli. Relli, real name Terell Ephron, claimed Rocky confronted him outside a parking garage in Hollywood in 2021. The confrontation led to a fight. Relli testified that Rocky shot him during the altercation.
A$AP Relli’s Accusation Against A$AP Rocky
Relli told authorities that Rocky and two other companions approached him with a handgun. He claimed Mayers shot at him three to four times and that one of the bullets grazed his left hand.
LAPD posted on Twitter a statement about the incident and how “the victim sustained a minor injury from the incident” and that the “suspect and two additional males fled area on foot” after the shooting.
Rocky’s April 2022 Arrest
After a vacation in Barbados with girlfriend Rihanna who was with him at the time of his arrest, Rocky was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport in April 2022. A search warrant has also been executed for his Los Angeles residence. A$AP Rocky paid bail set at $550,000 and was released three hours later.
“Not Guilty”
Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, said after the trial, while standing with A$AP Rocky and Rihanna, that the rapper was innocent “from day one,” and it’s the reason why they “turned down a plea for almost no jail time because he was innocent.” A$SP Rocky and Rihanna have been in a relationship since 2020 and have two children together, but have never confirmed that they are married.Tacopina also insisted that “the district attorney should look long and hard at prosecuting Terell Ephron.”
He continued, “They have him admitting to perjury. They have him committing extortion. This jury saw through it and came to an enormously quick and speedy verdict; the right verdict. And we thank this jury,” per the New York Post.
Tacopina and the rest of the defense team pointed out during the trial that the authorities never recovered a gun. Prosecutors argued that the gun was real while the defense team said the gun was only a prop that the rapper only carried for his security.
Rocky addressed the jury telling them as they walked out of the courtroom, “Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank you. Thank y’all. You’re making the right decision,” according to ABC News. The jury panel of seven women and five men, deliberated on Tuesday morning. Had been convicted, Rocky could have faced up to 24 years in prison.
