Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist and global superstar A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, has been found not guilty for not shooting his former friend on a Hollywood street in 2021. As he leaves the courtroom, he shares his gratefulness to the jurors, “Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank y’all for making the right decision.” Rocky avoids decades in prison as he is cleared of two felony coutns of assault with a semi automatic firearm.
The 36-year-old artist and fashion mogul dove into the gallery immediately hugging partner Rihanna along with family and friends. Had he not been acquitted, Rocky was at risk of a 24 year prison sentence upon conviction. On the eve of the trial, Rocky turned down the prosecution’s offer of six months in jail, along with probation and other conditions if he pleaded guilty to one account. Rocky has been insisting on his innocence since the beginning, gambling on the jury’s decision.
The verdict arrived as Rocky had several notable projects on the horizon, including headlining Rolling Loud in Los Angeles in March as well as being one of the celebrity co-chairs for the upcoming Met Gala in May. He also stars alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s new film. The three-week trial followed Rocky and Relli’s disupte. As old high school friends, the two were also part of the ASAP (Always Strive and Prosper) Mob. However, as time went on, the individuals relationship within the collective grew acrimonious. When Relli and Rocky met to discuss their differences on November 6, 2021, events did not go as planned. Relli and Rocky briefly argued before a confrontation occurred that led to Rocky pulling a gun from his waistband. While Relli testified that Rocky shot at him, Rocky’s defense remained that he was using a prop gun with blanks which he started carrying months earlier and Relli knew it was fake.
Rocky opted not to testify in his own defense. For closing arguments, Rihanna and their two kids sat in the gallery.
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