A verdict has been reached in the felony assault trial of rapper A$AP Rocky: NOT GUILTY.
Jurors announced they’d made a decision just hours after the deliberations began Tuesday morning in Los Angeles.
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was accused of firing two shots at his former childhood friend Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, on a Hollywood street corner in 2021.
After the not guilty verdict was read aloud, defendant Rocky was seen diving into the courtroom audience to embrace his partner and mother of his children, Rihanna.
“I really wanna thank the jury for making the right decision,” Rocky told KTLA. “This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years but I’m thankful and I’m blessed to be a free man right here talking to y’all.”
After walking out of the courthouse, Rocky and the defense team spoke to the media about the trial.
“He was way calmer than I was – he was calming me down,” said Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, talking about the moment before the verdict was read aloud.
Prosecutors called this a clear case of assault, and Ephron said his knuckles were grazed by one of the shots but he wasn’t seriously hurt. He also presented two shell casings as evidence.
However, the defense said this was nothing more than a warning shot with a fake gun that Rocky picked up for security on a music video shoot.
Rocky’s attorneys said the prop was a starter pistol that never held real ammunition.
However, no gun was recovered for evidence, and the footage provided was too grainy to accurately show what happened, so jurors were left to weigh conflicting testimonies.
Judge Mark Arnold asked the jury to avoid any personal feelings about the rapper and Rihanna.
According to the Associated Press, the jurors were also instructed that they could find Rocky not guilty if they deemed he was acting in self-defense.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman released a statement following the verdict announcement, saying, “While today’s verdict is not the outcome we sought, we respect the jury’s decision and the integrity of our justice system.”
“Our office remains committed to seeking accountability for those who break the law, no matter their status or influence,” the statement read. “Fame does not place anyone above the law, and we will not waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the community.”
The DA concluded by saying, “Our mission remains clear: to uphold the law, protect public safety, and ensure justice for all.”
The Grammy-nominated rapper faced two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He pleaded not guilty, and the three-week-long trial ended with closing arguments on Friday.
If convicted, he could have faced up to 24 years in prison. He initially turned down a pre-trial plea deal that could have ended up with 180 days in jail.
