ICYMI: A$AP Rocky Trial UPDATE—Explosive Testimonies Shake the Courtroom!
A$AP Rocky’s high-stakes trial is nearing its conclusion, packed with bombshell claims and missing evidence. 🌐 #News #LosAngelesCA #California #Crime
LOS ANGELES, CA – The courtroom drama surrounding rapper A$AP Rocky’s felony assault trial in Los Angeles, California is reaching its climax, packed with unexpected twists, heated arguments, and controversy surrounding the prosecution. The case, which has kept the public captivated, involves accusations that Rocky fired a gun during a 2021 altercation—claims he has vehemently denied.
The 36-year-old rapper, born Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm related to an alleged incident involving A$AP Relli, whose real name is Terell Ephron. The confrontation took place in Hollywood on November 6, 2021.
Prosecutors initially offered Rocky a plea deal requiring him to admit guilt to one felony count in exchange for 180 days behind bars, a suspended seven-year sentence, and three years of probation. He refused, choosing instead to fight the charges in a jury trial that began on January 24.
Defense Slams Accuser’s Credibility
Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, launched a fierce attack on Relli’s credibility during opening statements, calling him a “fraud” who had “fabricated” the entire story to extort money from the rapper. According to Tacopina, surveillance footage of the incident—shown in court—revealed Rocky holding a prop gun that fired blanks, a tactic his security team had allegedly advised him to use for intimidation.
“It looks and sounds like a real gun,” Tacopina argued, maintaining that Rocky’s actions were meant only to deter potential attackers, not to inflict harm.
Evidence and Testimonies Fuel the Fire
Tensions escalated when prosecutors submitted new evidence on the eve of the trial, prompting Rocky’s legal team to request more time to analyze the shell casings allegedly collected by Relli at the scene. Relli identified the casings as 9 mm rounds.
Deputy District Attorney John Lewin told the court that forensic markings on the casings were consistent with a “Glock model 40 and 43.”
“The markings on these casings are a bit more unique, and the examiner will testify that the markings he’s seen are very rare… but align with a Glock 43,” Lewin stated.
However, no firearm was ever recovered during the investigation.
Rocky’s tour manager, Lou Levin, testified on Monday that the rapper had been carrying a prop gun, and he personally returned the fake weapon to a music video director in New York after the incident. Levin also took responsibility for a Glock 43 magazine that police found at Rocky’s home six months later, claiming it belonged to him, not Rocky. The magazine contained 9 mm bullets, but of a different brand than those Relli allegedly recovered at the scene.
Prosecutor Faces Legal Woes of His Own
Adding to the courtroom spectacle, prosecutor John Lewin is now entangled in his own legal controversy. Two Los Angeles prosecutors, Brock Lunsford and Nancy Theberge, plan to sue Lewin and newly elected District Attorney Nathan Hochman for alleged retaliation after their involvement in the resentencing case of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
Lunsford and Theberge claim they were demoted after recommending that the Menendez brothers be resentenced due to new evidence. Lunsford, a veteran prosecutor of 25 years, was reassigned to a lower-level position, while Theberge was transferred to the alternate public defender’s office.
The pair allege that Lewin defamed them on social media, accusing Theberge of “wanting to let criminals out of jail” and referring to Lunsford as a “quisling”—a term associated with treachery and Nazi collaboration.
Ironically, Lewin himself was previously demoted by former DA George Gascón, leading him to sue alongside other prosecutors who had been reassigned. His past controversies don’t end there. Last year, he faced backlash after it was revealed that he vacationed at the Hamptons mansion of Debrah Lee Charatan, the widow of convicted murderer Robert Durst—whom Lewin aggressively cross-examined for nine days before securing a conviction.
What’s Next for A$AP Rocky?
With the trial nearing its conclusion, all eyes remain on the jury. If convicted, A$AP Rocky faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in federal prison. The stakes are high—not just for his freedom but for his future as a rapper, fashion icon, and partner to pop superstar Rihanna. The couple shares two young sons, RZA, 2, and Riot Rose, 1.
As the courtroom drama unfolds, the outcome remains uncertain, but one thing is clear—this trial has left its mark on the legal world and the music industry alike.
RELATED TOPICS: California | Celebs | Crime
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