Entertainment News
A$AP Rocky’s Assault Trial: Defense Counters Witness Testimonies, Rihanna Shows Support in Court
On February 7, A$AP Rocky's assault trial picked up again in Los Angeles. His lawyers presented new evidence challenging the prosecution's account of a 2021 shooting incident. After turning down a plea deal that would have meant 180 days in jail, the rapper now faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Five witnesses testified during the prosecution's eight-day case. Joe Tacopina, heading the defense, highlighted the accuser's $30 million civil lawsuit. "This is about one man's lies, jealousy, and greed," Tacopina told the jury, stating that the case was "all about money." The incident happened near Hollywood's W Hotel on November 6, 2021. The defense team's review of surveillance footage indicates the first shot was fired only after the accuser got physical. Money issues split these old friends apart, leading to the fight. The defense keeps bringing witnesses to back up their story. Key witness A$AP Twelvyy testified that he saw the accused holding a gun but never aiming it. The defense is now focusing on showing the weapon was just a starter pistol loaded with blanks. To explain the accuser's small knuckle injuries, the defense emphasizes that the gun contained blank rounds - not real bullets. A guilty verdict could disrupt the rapper's busy schedule, which includes his headlining spot at the Rolling Loud festival in March and his Met Gala hosting gig in May. While prosecutors offered a deal with seven years suspended and three years probation, he said no. If found guilty, he could spend up to 24 years behind bars.