Rapper A$AP Rocky was found not guilty of firing a gun at a former friend.
A jury in Los Angeles acquitted the musician, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, of two felony assault charges carrying a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison.
Terell Ephron claimed the Grammy-nominated hip-hop star fired shots at him during an argument on a Hollywood street on November 6, 2021, grazing his knuckles with one of them.
Mr Mayers, a fashion mogul and long-time partner of pop star Rihanna, denied the charges, claiming that the weapon was a prop gun and that his former friend, known as A$AP Relli, was only after money.
When the first not-guilty verdict was read on Tuesday, the court erupted in screams and clapping. Mr Mayers dashed towards his family and partner Rihanna, who were sitting behind him. He dove over a wooden barrier to hug them.
He hugged his lawyers and appeared to be in tears when the second not-guilty verdict was read.
“Thank God for saving my life,” Mr Mayers exclaimed aloud. He thanked the members of the 12-person jury.
The rapper was arrested on two counts of felony assault following a heated argument with a former friend in the heart of Hollywood.
Mr. Mayers and Mr. Ephron have known each other since high school in New York and were members of the A$AP Mob hip-hop collective.
Their friendship cooled as A$AP Rocky’s career soared.
According to authorities, Mr. Ephron met Mr. Mayers outside a hotel near the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 6, 2021, a day after the two had a disagreement.
An altercation ensued.
Mr Mayers was accused of whipping out a gun from his waistband and pointing it at Mr Ephron, saying, “I will kill you right now.”
“He looked me in the eyes and pointed the gun at me,” Mr. Ephron stated.
Mr. Ephron claimed he told the rapper to fire the weapon, but Mr. Mayers began walking away.
Mr Ephron followed him, shouting at him.
Prosecutors claimed that at this point, Mr Mayers pulled out his gun again and fired several shots, one of which grazed Mr Ephron’s knuckles.
Much of the trial revolved around whether the firearm in question was a harmless prop gun, as Mr Mayers’ defence claimed, or a genuine weapon capable of causing harm, as Mr Ephron and prosecutors claimed.
Authorities have not recovered the weapon.
Jurors were able to view some footage of the altercation because it was captured on surveillance video, including audio of gunfire, but no video evidence showed any shooting.
Mr Ephron waited two days before reporting the incident to authorities, bringing shell casings he claimed he had recovered from the scene.
However, police who responded to reports of a shooting in the area found no shell casings. Mr Ephron claimed to have returned with his girlfriend hours later and knew exactly where to look, but there is no surveillance footage to back up his claims.
He was not admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles, but instead sought medical treatment after returning to New York.
Attorneys for Mr Mayers claimed that Mr Ephron planted the shell casings to frame the rapper.
The trial featured emotional and combative exchanges, particularly when Mr Ephron, the trial’s star witness, took the stand.
Mr Ephron called Mr Tacopina, Mr Mayers’ defence attorney, “annoying” at one point, prompting a reprimand from the judge.
Prosecutors asked another witness, A$AP Twelvyy, about a photograph of Mr Mayers’ bed with the letters “AWGE” emblazoned on it.
When asked what that stood for, Mr Mayers abruptly interrupted proceedings and yelled, “Do not say!” Twelvyy ultimately declined to elaborate.
Outbursts from defendants during trials are uncommon, particularly in front of a jury.
However, for a criminal suspect on trial to interrupt and instruct a witness not to answer a prosecutor’s question during cross-examination is almost unheard of in court.
The rapper is preparing to release his first solo album in nearly a decade and will co-headline Los Angeles’ Rolling Loud festival in March 2025.
In May, he will co-chair the 2025 Met Gala with Anna Wintour, British race car driver Lewis Hamilton, singer Pharrell Williams, and basketball superstar LeBron James.
He also stars alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s upcoming film “Highest 2 Lowest,” which is set to be released this summer.
His long-time partner, singer Rihanna, has made occasional court appearances. She was in the courtroom on Tuesday when the verdict was read.
