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When Will ASAP Rocky's Relli Shooting Trial Begin? Everything We Know About The 2021 Case
ASAP Rocky pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He might reportedly be sentenced to nine years in prison if found guilty.
Rapper ASAP Rocky, the father of Rihanna’s two children, is headed to trial in October this year in a 2021 case for allegedly shooting rapper ASAP Relli in a Los Angeles street. Ahead of which, the Superior Court Judge has set two preliminary hearings on June 28 and August 2 for the case.
His childhood friend, former collaborator, and member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, Relli, has accused Rocky of firing a semi-automatic gun twice at him. As ASAP Rocky, who has pleaded guilty to both counts, heads to trial on October 21, here’s everything you need to know about the case in detail.
What are ASAP Relli’s accusations against ASAP Rocky?
As Rocky landed at Los Angeles International Airport along with his girlfriend Rihanna in April 2022, he was arrested for his involvement in a case of shooting that had taken place a year earlier. While initially the victim was not named, Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was named as the culprit.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement at the time that two "acquaintances" had gotten into an altercation that "escalated and resulted in the suspect firing a handgun." The police claimed that the victim informed them that Rocky had shot him "three to four times," before fleeing with two guys and that the first shot “grazed” his left hand.
A few months later, Rocky’s attorney identified the victim as Relli, whose legal name is Terell Ephron, who sued Rocky for assault, battery, and emotional distress. He alleged that on November 6, 2021, Rocky once pointed a semiautomatic gun at him and later that day they got into another fight following which Rocky fired at him. At the time, Relli was staying at the Loews Hollywood Hotel and several calls from Rocky and two other ASAP members– Illz and Twelvyy woke him up.
He enticed Relli to the garage of Hollywood Boulevard for a "conversation" and shot at him "without provocation, warning, or any justification." Further, Relli added that he received “multiple death threats and irreparable harm to his career in the entertainment industry as a result of this incident.”
Relli also sued Rocky for deflation claiming he and his attorney Joe Tacopina called him “blackmailed” publicly in front of the media.
What are the felonies ASAP Rocky has been charged with?
A week after Relli filed his lawsuit, Rocky was charged with two felony counts of assault with a semi-automatic gun. In April 2022 when Rocky was detained at the airport, a warrant had been issued for his residence in Los Angeles residence, as per NBC reports, and he was bailed at $550,000. He was freed after three hours.
Rocky pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. “Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.
Despite his not-guilty plea, a judge decided that the prosecution had sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial, according to the Associated Press. He might be sentenced to nine years in prison if found guilty, as per the BBC.
While Rocky has not spoken on the case, Tacopina told TMZ last year that they were expecting Rocky to go on trial and that this did not come as a surprise to them. “We’re not disappointed, not surprised, we expected to go to trial; we’ve been planning for trial all along. Rocky is going to be vindicated when all this is said and done, without question.”
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