A trial for assault starts on Friday involving rapper A$AP Rocky, who faces accusations of shooting a gun at an ex-friend in Los Angeles.
The rapper, known as Rakim Mayers, could face 24 years in prison if found guilty of two felony assault charges stemming from the 2021 event near a hotel in Hollywood.
The Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, who is a fashion tycoon and the long-term partner of singer Rihanna, has entered a plea of not guilty and rejected the accusations.
The victim, childhood friend and fellow artist Terell Ephron, testified last year that bullets grazed his hands, leading him to seek medical care at a hospital upon returning to New York.
A jury consisting of seven women and five men was chosen over three days this week prior to the start of opening arguments on Friday. The trial is anticipated to take approximately three weeks.
Officials state that the shooting occurred on November 6, 2021, following a “heated argument” in Hollywood between the rapper and Terell Ephron, both members of the A$AP Mob hip-hop group, who have been acquainted since their high school days in New York.
The rapper reportedly brandished the weapon in a menacing way during an outdoor altercation, merely a block away from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as stated in the charging documents.
Prosecutors allege that he subsequently discharged the firearm twice towards the victim, who suffered a minor injury.
According to US media, the rapper declined a plea deal before the trial, asserting that the gun he allegedly fired was a “prop gun” that could not shoot live ammunition. The AP news agency stated that this would imply accepting 180 days of incarceration.
His lawyer informed US media that they are prepared for the trial and eager to move past it.
“We’re prepared to leave.” “It’s been quite a while,” his lawyer Joe Tacopina informed the Associated Press. “It’s been an issue lingering over Rocky, Rihanna, and their family’s minds for some time.” “We’re eager to begin this process and move past it.”
A major issue in the case revolves around the police inquiry and Mr. Ephron’s injuries. The rapper’s lawyers contended in court filings that the case ought to be thrown out due to Mr. Ephron delaying the report of the incident for several days.
Officials who arrived at the shooting site did not discover any shell casings while inspecting the location, but Mr. Ephron went back to the scene afterward and collected two shell casings he claimed to have found there. He presented them when he recounted the incident two days afterward.
The firearm supposedly involved in the incident was not found.
Mr. Mayers’s attorney also inquired about the injury Mr. Ephron had on his hand and suggested it might have been caused by a punch.
The trial is occurring at a significant time for A$AP Rocky, who shares two kids with singer Rihanna.
In May, he will co-chair the 2025 Met Gala with prominent figures such as Anna Wintour, British race car driver Lewis Hamilton, singer Pharrell Williams, and basketball icon LeBron James.
Later this summer, he is also scheduled to feature in a film directed by Spike Lee titled “Highest 2 Lowest” alongside acting icon Denzel Washington.
The star had previously received a two-year suspended sentence for his involvement in a fight in Stockholm in August 2019.
The rapper and two associates from his entourage were found guilty of assaulting a 19-year-old man following a dispute. They claimed they were defending themselves, but the court dismissed their argument.
The situation attracted global media coverage when US President Donald Trump attempted, without success, to obtain Mr. Mayers’s freedom from prison while he was pending trial.
Hailing from New York, Mr. Mayers emerged as one of the most prominent breakout artists of the 2010s, achieving eight platinum singles in the US such as Wild For The Night, Everyday, LSD, and A$AP Forever.
He gained prominence after being supported by Drake, collaborating with artists such as Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez, and Kendrick Lamar.
