A$AP Rocky discovered not responsible in assault trial in Los Angeles

A jury discovered rapper A$AP Rocky not responsible of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm Tuesday following a virtually month-long trial in Los Angeles. 

Screams had been heard contained in the courtroom upon the studying of the decision as Rocky ran towards the again of the room to hug his longtime companion, Rihanna, who appeared contained in the court docket on a number of events all through the trial. Rocky, whose authorized title is Rakim Mayers, had confronted as much as 24 years in jail if convicted of all expenses.

At first of the trial final month, he rejected a plea deal which carried a sentence of 180 days in jail. 

“We mentioned from day one, he was harmless. He turned down a plea for nearly no jail time as a result of he was harmless,” Joe Tacopina, his protection lawyer, advised reporters exterior the Clara Shortridge Foltz Felony Justice Middle in downtown LA, the place photographers swarmed Rocky and Rihanna following the decision. “We’re honored to have represented this superb household.”

Jurors had deliberated for almost three hours earlier than reaching the decision. 

Prosecutors had alleged Rocky shot twice within the course of his former pal, Terell Ephron, close to a Hollywood resort in 2021. Ephron, one other former member of the hip hop collective A$AP Mob who beforehand glided by A$AP Relli, has mentioned he was left with bullet-graze wounds above his knuckles. He testified that Rocky had allegedly threatened to kill him the identical evening.

The protection accused Ephron of fabricating proof, committing perjury and making an attempt to extort Rocky, saying the rapper had a prop gun that solely fired blanks which he carried round for safety. 

Rocky pleaded not responsible to each counts and maintained his innocence via statements by his attorneys. 

Los Angeles County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman launched an announcement on behalf of the prosecution after Tuesday’s verdict. 

“Whereas right this moment’s verdict is just not the end result we sought, we respect the jury’s resolution and the integrity of our justice system,” Hochman mentioned within the assertion. “Our workplace stays dedicated to searching for accountability for individuals who break the legislation, irrespective of their standing or affect. Fame doesn’t place anybody above the legislation, and we is not going to waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the group.”

As closing arguments received underway late final week, Rihanna appeared contained in the downtown LA courtroom with the couple’s 2-year-old and 1-year-old sons together with her for the primary time, the Related Press reported. 

A$AP Rocky stands trial in Los Angeles

Prosecutors alleged Rocky pointed a semiautomatic firearm at Ephron earlier than opening fireplace throughout one other later confrontation on the night of Nov. 6, 2021. In the course of the first few days of the trial, Ephron testified that Rocky mentioned, “I will kill you proper now,” as he pointed the gun at him, saying it was pointed “like in the direction of my abdomen, like in the direction of like my head and shoulder.” 

Whereas he mentioned he could not bear in mind sure particulars, he advised jurors Rocky had moved the gun as he pointed it, saying “He was searching for a spot to shoot me.” The prosecution had claimed Rocky then opened fireplace twice in Ephron’s course later that evening, throughout one other alleged confrontation which Ephron described throughout his testimony.

“So I see Rocky flip round, and when he circled, he is like,” Ephron mentioned as he mimicked the gesture he says Rocky made with the gun, elevating his arm into the air whereas pointing his fingers downward. “Kinda appeared like a film. The entire thing appeared like a film.”

The previous associates had been close to the intersection of Argyle and Selma avenues, an space of Hollywood simply across the nook from the Stroll of Fame, when prosecutors say Rocky opened fireplace. 

Ephron testified he was left with bullet-graze wounds simply above his knuckles which he later sought medical therapy for. 

“When he shot the primary shot, I felt my hand sizzling,” he advised jurors from the witness stand final month, saying he grabbed one other individual there that evening and “used him as a protect” to strive dodging the gunfire. “I am simply making an attempt to love not get hit at this level,” Ephron mentioned.

He testified he went again to the realm later that evening, after Los Angeles Police Division officers had responded to the scene, and picked up shell casings he claims had been fired by the gun. “However I ended up going again and getting the precise bullets myself,” he mentioned, saying he introduced a paper bag to gather them and took photographs of them.

“It wasn’t arduous for me to seek out the bullets as a result of I knew precisely the place I received shot at,” he mentioned.

Tacopina, Rocky’s protection lawyer, advised jurors that Ephron fabricated that proof and dedicated perjury throughout his testimony, describing him as a “pathological liar” through the trial. Tacopina mentioned a number of law enforcement officials had responded to the scene earlier than Ephron returned, saying they carried out a radical search and by no means got here throughout shell casings.

“What you may study is that Relli returned to that scene an hour later,” Tacopina mentioned of Ephron, referring to him by his former artist title of A$AP Relli. “And he tried to manufacture proof… That is some offensive stuff.”

One of many protection witnesses testified to seeing Rocky with a starter pistol, which solely fired blanks, on three events. A$AP Twelvyy, one other former member of the A$AP Mob collective and longtime pal of Rocky, mentioned the rapper carried across the pretend gun as a way of safety. The felony expenses Rocky had confronted don’t apply if there was no actual firearm concerned.

The protection argued the rapper is also discovered not responsible on the premise of self protection. Each the prosecution and protection has agreed that Rocky and two different males who had been with him that evening walked away after the primary of two confrontations in Hollywood on the evening of Nov. 6, 2021, and that Relli adopted them afterwards. Nonetheless, prosecutors argued Rocky was the aggressor when he first allegedly pulled out the gun after which allegedly opened fireplace through the second incident.

Whereas arguing that Ephron tried to extort Rocky, the protection offered recordings which a witness for the protection, Wally Sajimi, testified he made in 2022. On the recording, a voice resembling Ephron’s says he’ll settle for being paid to cease participating within the case towards Rocky. “As soon as I stroll away, after I get my money, the case will get approach weaker,” the voice on the recording says. 

However prosecutors have mentioned Ephron’s testimony in court docket was in keeping with what he advised Sajimi throughout a recorded dialog — that the Grammy-nominated rapper had opened fireplace with an actual gun.

“Mr. Ephron needs to be paid as a result of he was the sufferer of an actual crime by an actual gun,” Los Angeles County Deputy District Lawyer Paul Przelomiec advised jurors final week. “In that couple minutes, he tells the very same particulars that he advised you when he testified on this case.”

“That is proof they created. That is their individual making an attempt to trick Mr. Ephron, making an attempt to get Mr. Ephron to say one thing damaging, say one thing that is gonna undermine this case,” Przelomiec mentioned of the recording submitted as proof by the protection.

Throughout closing arguments, Przelomiec advised jurors that witnesses who testified for the protection by no means advised legislation enforcement that Rocky had a pretend gun that evening when the investigation first received underway. He mentioned the prop gun was solely introduced up greater than two years after the alleged capturing, when these witnesses spoke with Rocky’s protection attorneys.

“The concept they might not be working into the police station to inform their story is absurd,” Przelomiec mentioned of the protection witnesses.

In the meantime, the protection has honed in on what they allege is an absence of credibility within the prosecution’s key witness. 

Tacopina advised jurors throughout closing arguments final week that other than Ephron’s testimony, the prosecution’s proof “consists of video, shell casings and knuckle scrapes,” saying the movies alone don’t show the defendant’s guilt and the shell casings had been fabricated proof.

“They imply nothing with out believing his story,” Tacopina mentioned.