The final result of the court’s sentencing of A$AP Rocky was announced as sh0cking
A$AP Rocky was found not guilty (Image: Getty Images)
A$AP Rocky was acquitted as the jury cleared him of all charges, leading him to make a heartfelt thank you to the panel.
The hip-hop artist, real name Rakim Mayers, faced two felony assault counts with a semiautomatic firearm. Upon hearing the “not guilty” verdict, Rocky told them, “Thank you for saving my life.”
Before the verdict, Rocky was staring down a potential 24 years behind bars. Despite being presented a plea deal that could’ve trimmed time down to just 180 days in jail, he declined the offer and stood firm on his claiming his innocence. Los Angeles County prosecutors were also planning to offer him a seven-year suspended sentence and three years of probation which Rocky rejected, prompting the full-blown legal proceedings.
Rocky was under fire for allegedly shooting at his ex-friend A$AP Relli aka Terell Ephron back in November 2021. Both had been part of the “A$AP mob” collective before things went south, reports the Mirror US.
ASAP Rocky was facing two felony charges
According to the prosecution, surveillance footage appeared to catch Rocky emptying four shots. But Joe Tacopina, Rocky’s lawyer, told the court they intent to contest that his client only packed a “starter pistol” for personal protection purposes.
Defense attorney Tacopina was adamant that the man seen waving a weapon in the footage isn’t his client, putting him at odds with Detective Frank Flores’ assertion that it shows Rocky equipped. Adding to the intrigue, the firearm supposedly used never found, even though Relli claimed he stumbled upon two 9mm shell casings at the scene, which he insisted were passed on to the coppers.
A$AP Rocky’s attorney commended the meticulous work of law enforcement, stating, “There’s a reason that 10 police officers searched and didn’t find shell casings there … [It’s] not because they were blind or drunk or because they didn’t want to find it. It’s because they did a thorough job.”
In the courtroom overseen by Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold, the order of the day was brisk business, with a keen focus on whittling down the jury pool quickly. Moreover, Judge Arnold laid down strict rules for the legal counsel about the duration of cross-examining jurors before selecting them.
When addressing the jury, Arnold emphasized the objectivity needed with A$AP Rocky’s celeb status: “Mr. Mayers is an entertainer. His stage name is A$AP Rocky. His life partner is also an entertainer. Her name is Rihanna. Because Mr. Mayers is an entertainer, a celebrity, that cannot harm him, and it cannot benefit him.”
Once the trial ended, the judge said thank you to the jury for following the rules of the court He saluted their commitment to keeping quiet and respecting the confidentiality of the proceedings while they deliberated.
