Rihanna 's beau, rapper A$AP Rocky , was declared not guilty on all counts on Tuesday by jurors in his felony criminal trial in downto...
Rihanna's beau, rapper A$AP Rocky, was declared not guilty on all counts on Tuesday by jurors in his felony criminal trial in downtown Los Angeles.
The three-time Grammy nominee, 36, was charged with a pair of felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in the November 2021 shooting in Hollywood, California of his one-time friend, A$AP Relli.
'Thanks y´all for saving my life,' A$AP Rocky told the jury, composed of seven women and five men, as he left the courtroom, according to the AP.
The We Found Love artist took to Instagram Stories Tuesday evening with an uplifting message after the verdict Tuesday.
'THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE!' she said. 'THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!'
The musical artist, whose full name is Rakim Mayers, was emotional as he embraced his lawyers after the verdict was read.
The jury reached a unanimous decision after deliberating for about three hours following the conclusion of closing arguments in the case last week.
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The Harlem, New York-born entertainer, before going into the trial, had declined an offer from prosecutors of a six-month jail sentence and probation.
Under that offer, A$AP Rocky would have had to plead guilty to one count in the case, the AP reported.
A$AP Rocky celebrated the verdict with his partner and legal team in the courtroom and after they left the building.
Prosecutors in the case said that the entertainer shot twice at his former pal A$AP Relli.
A$AP Relli testified in the case that he was unharmed aside form a bullet grazing his knuckle.
A$AP Rocky's legal team said that the shots the rapper fired were actually blanks from a prop gun he obtained from the set of a music video he was working on, the AP reported.
The jury was instructed by the court that under the law, A$AP Rocky could not be found guilty, if they found him to be defending himself in the incident.
The Barbados-born superstar songstress and fashion mogul had drawn attention during her outings to the court to support her boyfriend, who she shares two children with: RZA, two, and Riot Rose, one.
Rihanna turns heads as she leaves court after supporting A$AP Rocky
In multiple outings, Rihanna was seated between A$AP Rocky's mother Renee Black and sister Erika B. Mayers.
The fashion mogul, who founded the company Fenty Beauty, was mentioned multiple times as attorneys conducted jury selection, amid speculation how her larger-than-life presence could sway jurors.
Following the verdict, jurors were led out of the courtroom and didn't talk to the media as they departed, the AP reported.
It was not immediately clear what specifically compelled them to find him not guilty - be it the presence of the prop gun or his claims of acting in self-defense.
A$AP Rocky's attorney Joe Tacopina said jurors 'saw through this mirage of a case' in their swift verdict.
The attorney noted that the rapper 'turned down a plea for almost no jail time because he was innocent.'
Deputy District Attorney John Lewin told jurors in closing arguments to disregard the presence of Rihanna amid the trial, adding that he believed that she brought their children to the legal proceedings to sway the jury toward a not guilty verdict.
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'You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids,' Lewin said. 'We are all responsible for our own actions in the world.'
After the verdict, Tacopina said outside the courthouse that 'Rocky did not want her here, I will tell you that.'
Lewin told jurors, 'You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids. We are all responsible for our own actions in the world.'
Defense lawyer Tacopina pushed back on the assertion, saying his client did not want her there in the first place.
'Rocky did not want her here, I will tell you that,' Tacopina said of the S&M singer. He 'wanted to shield her from this.'
Tacopina quoted the Rolling Stones in adding that 'wild horses couldn´t keep her away.'
A$AP Rocky had been more than a half-hour late in arriving for the verdict reading, 'looked shaken and tense as he waited for it,' the AP reported.
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman’s released a statement on Instagram after A$AP Rocky was cleared in the case.
'While today's verdict is not the outcome we sought, we respect the jury's decision and the integrity of our justice system,' Hochman said. 'Our office remains committed to seeking accountability for those who break the law, no matter their status or influence.
'Fame does not place anyone above the law, and we will not waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the community.
Hochman thanked his colleagues for their work in the high-profile case.
'I want to thank Deputy District Attorneys Paul Przelomiec and John Lewin for their dedication and tireless efforts in presenting this case,' Hochman said. 'I also commend the prosecutors and investigators of our Central Division for their hard work and professionalism throughout this process.'
Hochman wrapped up in saying, 'Our mission remains clear: to uphold the law, protect public safety, and ensure justice for all.'
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