A$AP Rocky Exonerated in Los Angeles Street Firearm Assault Case
Rapper A$AP Rocky has been found not guilty on two felony assault charges following his trial in Los Angeles. The jury acquitted the musician, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, after deliberating for about three hours.
Terell Ephron claimed that Mr Mayers fired a gun at him during an argument on Hollywood Boulevard on November 6th, 2021, grazing his knuckles with one of the shots. However, Mr Mayers denied these charges, stating that he had used a prop gun and claiming that A$AP Relli (Ephron’s moniker) was only after money.
As the verdicts were read in court on Tuesday afternoon, loud applause erupted from supporters present for Mr Mayers. He immediately rushed towards his family and Rihanna, who were seated behind him, diving over a wooden barrier to embrace them. The rapper then hugged his lawyers before acknowledging the jury’s decision with emotional tears.
Mr Ephron initially reported the incident two days after it occurred but did not seek medical attention in Los Angeles; instead, he received treatment back in New York where he also claimed that he had retrieved shell casings from the scene. However, police found no evidence of these shells when they arrived at the site.
The trial was marked by intense exchanges between Mr Ephron and his attorney on one side and prosecutors on the other. At times, defense attorneys interrupted witnesses’ testimonies or even instructed them not to provide answers during cross-examination.
Despite a few hiccups during the proceedings, both parties presented their cases clearly with jurors being shown video footage of parts of the altercation captured by surveillance cameras. However, no direct evidence was found that showed Mr Mayers actually firing his gun at Ephron.
The not-guilty verdicts came as a relief to Rihanna and other close family members who were present in court for this emotional day. They expressed their gratitude towards the jurors involved and celebrated Mr Mayers’ acquittal with loud cheers.
