BREAKING: A$AP Rocky Found Not Guilty On All Counts In 2021 Shooting Case
A$AP Rocky walked out of a Los Angeles courtroom with a new lease on life Tuesday (February 18) after a jury cleared him of all charges in his high-profile assault trial. Rocky, looking noticeably relieved, addressed the court and thanked everyone for “saving” his life.
The verdict came after just one day of deliberations, ending a legal battle that could have put the rapper behind bars for more than two decades.
The jury, composed of seven women and five men, found Rocky not guilty on two felony counts of assault with a firearm related to an alleged 2021 shooting involving his former friend Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that Rocky fired a gun during a heated confrontation, while his defense insisted the weapon in question was merely a prop used for a music video.
Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, declined a plea deal that would have included 180 days in jail, opting instead to take his chances in court. The trial lasted roughly three weeks and featured moments of drama, unexpected testimony and some humor as both sides tried to sway the jury.
During closing arguments, the prosecution insisted the case was simple, telling jurors that if they determined it wasn’t a prop gun, their decision should take “five minutes.”
“This case was really an easy case, not a complicated case, a very simple case…this is a five-minute verdict,” District Attorney Paul Bradley Przelomiec told the jury during closing arguments—and they obviously disagreed.
One glaring omission in the trial was the fact that neither the prosecution nor defense produced an actual gun as evidence, leaving the jury to weigh conflicting testimony without a physical weapon to inspect.
Rocky’s partner, Rihanna, attended much of the trial, and for the closing arguments, she brought their two young sons. She was also on deck when the verdicts were read.
The courtroom dynamic prompted a warning from prosecutors, who warned jurors not to let sympathy for the singer and her children influence their decision.
With his legal troubles behind him, Rocky will presumably turn his focus to his upcoming headlining set at Rolling Loud on March 15 in Inglewood, California.