- Rapper A$AP Rocky was found not guilty in a shooting case.
- He was accused of firing a handgun at a former friend in 2021.
- Had he been convicted, Rocky faced up to 24 years in prison.
Rapper A$AP Rocky was found not guilty on Tuesday of firing a handgun at a former friend on a Hollywood street in 2021. A Los Angeles jury acquitted him of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
“Thank y’all for saving my life,” the 36-year-old hip-hop star told jurors as they exited the courtroom. After the verdict was read, Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, embraced his longtime partner, Rihanna, in the courtroom gallery.
Had he been convicted, Rocky faced up to 24 years in prison. The prosecutors had offered him a plea deal for six months in jail with probation, but he refused, maintaining his innocence. The jury ultimately found reasonable doubt in the case, leading to his acquittal. Rihanna, who attended the trial sporadically, brought their two sons, RZA and Riot Rose, for the closing arguments. She reportedly cried and hugged the defense attorneys after the verdict.
Prosecutors alleged that Rocky had fired a real gun during an altercation, but the defense argued he was carrying a prop gun that only fired blanks. They contended he used it as a warning when he believed a friend was under attack. The jury was instructed that if Rocky acted in self-defense, he could be found not guilty.
Deputy District Attorney John Lewin urged jurors not to be swayed by Rocky’s celebrity or family presence. “You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids,” he stated. “We are all responsible for our own actions in the world.”
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