Jury Reaches Verdict in A$AP Rocky Gun Assault Trial

What to Know

• Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist A$AP Rock was charged in two Hollywood confrontations in November 2021 with former friend Terell Ephron, aka A$AP Relli.
• The rap artist-turned-fashion mogul and longtime partner of singer Rihanna faces two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
• A key question at the center of the trial was whether the weapon used was a real gun or, as the defense claims, a prop gun that only fired blanks.
• Jurors could acquit Rocky if they believed the defense or if they believe he was acting in self-defense.
• He faces up to 24 years in prison, if convicted.

Jurors have found rapper A$AP Rocky not guilty of multiple charges in connection with a felony assault trial.

The rap artist-turned-fashion mogul and longtime partner of singer Rihanna, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, faces two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in two confrontations on the night of Nov. 6, 2021 with Terell Ephron — aka A$AP Relli — in Hollywood. The two men’s friendship soured over the years as Rocky’s music career blossomed, a turn of events that culminated in the Hollywood encounter and August 2023 charges against Rocky.

A key question at the center of the trial was whether the weapon used was a real gun or, as the defense claims, a prop gun that only fired blanks. Jurors could acquit Rocky if they believed the defense or if they believe he was acting in self-defense.

The jury of seven women and five men reached a unanimous decision after deliberating for about three hours after a three-week trial. He faced up to 24 years in prison if he was convicted. Rocky had been free on bail since his 2022 arrest.

After attorneys finished closing arguments late last week, the case went to the jury for deliberations.

Pop star Rihanna, the mother of the couple’s two children, was seen dressed in black with her two children entering court Thursday morning for closing arguments. Rihanna has appeared in the courtroom five times since the trial began Jan. 24.

Relli testified during the trial that he saw his former friend outside a parking garage in an encounter partially caught on surveillance video and that the Grammy-nominated music star pulled a gun from his waistband, put it toward his stomach and said, “I’ll kill you right now.”

The accuser said during a November 2023 hearing that he believed the 36-year-old rapper had become “big-headed” due to his success, telling Rocky he had “failed everybody” and claiming that no one else was brave enough to share their honest opinions with him.

Relli alleged Rocky turned around and shot at him, saying he believed his left hand had been grazed by the gunfire. He said he waited until he got to New York to go to a hospital days later to seek medical treatment for his three injured knuckles, saying he was in pain.

Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, maintained that the gun was a starter pistol that only fired blanks. He claimed Rocky carried it as a prop for security reasons.

Prosecutors, however, insist that Rocky used a genuine firearm that shot real bullets, one of which injured Relli’s knuckles when fired. Neither the prop gun or alleged genuine firearm were produced at trial.

“Was it a real gun or was it a fake gun?” Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec said Thursday. “Nothing else is in dispute.”

Relli testified that after the altercation, he left the scene, but returned about an hour later — after police had unsuccessfully searched the area for evidence of shots fired — and found two shell casings on the street. He said he took the casings to police two days later.

A Los Angeles Police Department detective testified that he did not see Relli on surveillance video showing the Hollywood street at the time the accuser says he found the shell casings ostensibly from the gun allegedly used to shoot at him.

Relli, the key witness in the prosecution case, has testified for several days. Rocky declined to take the stand in his own defense.

For Rocky to be found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, prosecutors must show that the gun was real.

In jury instructions Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold told the jury that they may consider self-defense as a possible motive.

Before opening statements last month, Rocky rejected a plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and serve six months behind bars.

Rocky was arrested in April 2022 upon returning to Los Angeles from a trip with Rihanna to her native Barbados. Relli filed a lawsuit for assault, battery, and emotional distress against Rocky four months later.

Conclusion

Jurors have reached a verdict in the A$AP Rocky gun assault trial, finding the rapper not guilty of multiple charges. The verdict brings an end to a three-week trial that has garnered significant media attention.

FAQs

Q: What were the charges against A$AP Rocky?

A: A$AP Rocky faced two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

Q: What was the key question at the center of the trial?

A: Whether the weapon used was a real gun or, as the defense claims, a prop gun that only fired blanks.

Q: How long did the trial last?

A: The trial lasted three weeks, with deliberations taking about three hours.

Q: What was the potential sentence for A$AP Rocky if convicted?

A: Up to 24 years in prison.

Q: Who is A$AP Rocky’s partner?

A: Singer Rihanna.