A Los Angeles jury has found rapper A$AP Rocky not guilty on all counts of felony assault, bringing an end to a highly publicized three-week trial.
According to Variety, the Harlem-bred rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was accused of firing a gun at his former friend, A$AP Relli (real name Terell Ephron), outside a hotel in Hollywood in November 2021.
Rocky, his defence team, his partner, Rihanna, and family members present in the courtroom cheered and wept with joy as the verdict was delivered.
Rocky, who was facing up to 24 years in prison if convicted, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial centred around a confrontation between Rocky and Ephron on Hollywood Boulevard, during which Ephron alleged that Rocky aimed a gun at his head and stomach and fired shots that grazed his hand, as per Variety.
However, Rocky’s defence attorney, Joe Tacopina, argued that Ephron’s injuries were minor and that Rocky had used a prop gun to break up a scuffle between Ephron and Rocky’s entourage.
Tacopina also suggested that Ephron had “planted” evidence, including two 9mm shell casings, in an attempt to extort Rocky, as per Variety.
Ephron had filed a USD 30 million civil lawsuit against Rocky, which Tacopina cited as evidence of Ephron’s motives.
As Variety reports, the trial was marked by tense exchanges between Tacopina and prosecutor John Lewin. Tacopina accused Lewin of behaving unethically, and Lewin vehemently denied the claims.
Rocky’s acquittal brings an end to a highly publicized and dramatic trial that had captivated the music and entertainment industries for a long time.
