A$AP Rocky To Stand Trial for Allegedly Firing Gun at A$AP Relli in 2021
The artist is due back in court in January 2024.
A$AP Rocky will stand trial on felony charges for allegedly firing a gun at his former friend and collaborator A$AP Relli (real name Terell Ephron) in November 2021.
Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar ruled that there is enough evidence to bring the artist to trial during a preliminary hearing, which included testimony and a new video. The new clip brought upon by prosecutors was a view of the neighborhood and reportedly hears two loud pops during the same time of the supposed shooting, and also allegedly sees Rocky by the corner of the incident and slowing his pace as he walks in front of buildings.
“The court agrees with the defense that you don’t see an actual shooting on the video. Later, in another section of video, you do hear two shots,” Judge Villar said when she made the ruling, agreeing with the prosecution that “tempers were heightened on both sides.” She also took long Relli’s testimony, where he alleged that the shots Rocky fired grazed his left knuckles, into consideration, “In any event, Mr. Ephron does what appears to be a dance around the other individuals to avoid being shot. His testimony is that he was shot.”
Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, cross-examined Los Angeles Police Department Detective Frank Flores, who was the only witness to testify during the November 20 preliminary hearing. Flores revealed that there were no weapons recovered and that no fingerprints were found on the two bullet casings Relli handed over to the authorities two days after the supposed incident. In addition, Flores noted that “nothing definitively shows” the alleged shooting in any of the videos submitted.
Rocky will return to court on January 8, 2024 for his re-arraignment.
“A scintilla of evidence is enough. It’s a probable cause hearing. The trial is going to be very different,” Tacopina said. He added that Rocky may testify during the trial, “Common sense is going to prevail and we’re going to get (Rocky) through this, and he’s going to be vindicated.” He warned, “The evidence we have that they don’t know about is going to be devastating — devastating.”
Elsewhere in music, RZA spoke to Hypebeast about the 30th anniversary of Wu-Tang Clan’s 36 Chambers, and shared a series of never-before-published images.
