A jury in California has acquitted A$AP Rocky of two felony charges of assault involving a semiautomatic firearm, related to a shooting incident in 2021 with an ex-friend in Los Angeles.
Lawyers for the hip-hop artist and actor, who has been the long-term partner of singer and entrepreneur Rihanna, contended that the firearm was a prop gun that only discharged blanks. A$AP Rocky did not provide testimony during the trial. Rihanna attended the courtroom on Tuesday when the verdict was announced.
Following the announcement of the verdict, the rapper conveyed his gratitude to the jury, stating, “Thank you all for preserving my life.”
Lawyers for Rocky, whose true name is Rakim Athelston Mayers, argued that he obtained the firearm from a music video location and carried it for protection.
Throughout the trial, Rihanna was spotted at the courthouse accompanied by her two small sons, RZA, 2, and Riot, 1.
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The case focused on a shooting from 2021 that involved Rocky and a high school friend named A$AP Relli. The duo is part of a creative group they started in New York during their teenage years, referred to as the A$AP Mob.
Based on Relli’s account, the situation deteriorated between the two men when they encountered each other outside a Hollywood hotel on November 6, 2021, and engaged in a fight. Relli reported to investigators that a bullet grazed his knuckles after Rocky purportedly shot at him.
Their shared friend and crew mate, A$AP Twelvyy, stated in court that Relli was the instigator and Rocky shot the gun as a warning, as reported by the Associated Press. Twelvyy also stated that Rocky had been using a starter pistol for safety for several months and that the weapon discharged blanks.
The event was partly recorded on surveillance footage.
Investigators discovered no firearms or ammo at the location, although Relli submitted shell casings he claimed to have collected following the confrontation.
The defense contended that Relli is an individual consumed by “jealousy, deceit, and greed” who was driven by monetary motives to have Rocky accused of the shooting.
Following the verdict on Tuesday, LA County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman stated in a release that although the result was not what they desired, they honor the jury’s choice “and the integrity of our justice system.”
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“Our office continues to be dedicated to pursuing accountability for individuals who violate the law, regardless of their status or power,” Hochman stated. “Renown does not exempt anyone from the law, and we will remain steadfast in our quest for justice for victims and the community.”
