After a jury discovered rapper A$AP Rocky not responsible at his trial on two felony counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, he celebrated by diving into the arms of Rihanna within the packed courtroom.
The Los Angeles courtroom, stuffed with followers and household, exploded into celebration as Rocky leapt from the defence desk, over a barrier and into the gallery, the place Rihanna sat between his mom, Renee Black, and sister, Erika B. Mayers. They embraced and sobbed.
Amid the chaos, it took the clerk a couple of minutes to learn the second not responsible verdict as soon as Rocky returned to the defence desk after hugging his longtime girlfriend.
Rakim Mayers, aka A$AP Rocky, dives in the direction of the gallery as the decision is given in his felony assault trial at Clara Shortridge Foltz Legal Justice Middle on Feb. 18, 2025 in Los Angeles.
Daniel Cole-Pool/Getty Photographs)
“I didn’t know the way athletic he was,” Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina advised reporters exterior the courthouse. “That was uncooked emotion, you guys obtained to see that. Even for us it was insane.”
After a tense three-week trial, the jury deliberated for simply three hours to succeed in the decision that spared Rocky, whose authorized title is Rakim Mayers, a jail sentence of as much as 24 years in jail.
“Thank y’all for saving my life,” Rocky advised the jurors as they left the courtroom.
“Mr. Mayers, you’re excused,” Choose Mark Arnold mentioned.
On the eve of trial, Rocky turned down a prosecution provide of simply six months in jail, together with probation and different situations, if he pleaded responsible to 1 depend.
Prosecutors and their witnesses mentioned Rocky was feuding with a former pal, A$AP Relli. The pair had been in a crew who known as themselves the A$AP Mob since highschool. They mentioned the 2 males met up in Hollywood on Nov. 6, 2021, and after a scuffle, Rocky pulled the gun and fired twice at Relli, who mentioned one of many pictures grazed his knuckle. He was not critically harm.
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Tacopina mentioned in his closing argument that Relli is “an indignant pathological liar” who “dedicated perjury repeatedly and repeatedly.”
Rocky’s attorneys and the witnesses they known as mentioned Rocky had shot a prop gun that solely fires blanks, which he had been carrying for safety since taking it from a music video set months earlier. They mentioned he fired it as a warning as a result of Relli was attacking one other member of their crew.
Rocky insisted on his innocence and determined to gamble {that a} jury would really feel the identical approach following the three-week trial.
In his closing argument, Deputy District Lawyer John Lewin urged the jurors to not be influenced by the celeb or household features of the case, and advised Rihanna bringing the youngsters — two-year-old RZA Athelston Mayers and one-year-old Riot Rose Mayers — to closing arguments was an try to govern the jury.
“You aren’t allowed to contemplate how this may have an effect on Rihanna and his youngsters,” the prosecutor mentioned. “We’re all accountable for our personal actions on the planet.”
The 36-year-old rapper hugged his defence attorneys, as did Rihanna, who was in attendance for a lot of the trial.
Rakim Mayers, aka A$AP Rocky, reacts in court docket as the decision is given in his felony assault trial at Clara Shortridge Foltz Legal Justice Middle on Feb. 18, 2025 in Los Angeles.
Daniel Cole-Pool/Getty Photographs
District Lawyer Nathan Hochman mentioned he revered the jury’s resolution.
“Our workplace stays dedicated to in search of accountability for individuals who break the legislation, irrespective of their standing or affect,” Hochman mentioned in a press release. “Fame doesn’t place anybody above the legislation, and we is not going to waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the neighborhood.”
Rocky was greater than half-hour late for the studying of the decision and appeared shaken and tense as he waited for the clerk to learn it.
“There was a second when earlier than we heard the phrases from the clerk, he didn’t know if he was going to be spending the following twenty years in jail or going residence,” Tacopina mentioned.
Following the decision, Rocky spoke to reporters exterior the courthouse.
“To begin with, I obtained to thank God. We wish to thank God first, you realize what I’m saying?” Rocky advised the press. “And I actually wish to thank the jury for making the precise resolution. I’m simply so grateful. That is loopy proper now.
“This complete expertise has been loopy for the previous 4 years,” he continued. “However I’m grateful, nonetheless. I’m grateful and blessed to be right here proper now to be a free man speaking to y’all. Thanks. All reward to God.”
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are seen exterior Clara Shortridge Foltz Legal Justice Middle on Feb. 18, 2025 in Los Angeles.
DUTCH/Bauer-Griffin/GC Photographs
Rihanna additionally shared a press release on her Instagram Tales, writing, “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Grateful, humbled by his mercy!”
Rihanna’s response to A$AP Rocky’s not responsible verdict.
@BadGalRiRi/Instagram
Rocky additionally took to X after the decision and posted, “DON’T BE DUMB,” in reference to his upcoming fourth studio album.
Regardless of the authorized battle, Rocky has an thrilling 12 months forward.
He’s set to bask within the top of hip-hop because the headliner of the Rolling Loud music competition subsequent month. He’ll even be on the top of vogue’s greatest night time, the Met Gala, as a celeb co-chair together with LeBron James and Pharrell Williams in Might. And in the summertime, he provides main movement image actor to his resume because the co-star — with Denzel Washington — in director Spike Lee’s movie Highest 2 Lowest.
—With recordsdata from The Related Press
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