LOS ANGELES (AP) — A$AP Rocky turned down a closing prosecution plea supply of 180 days in jail and can face the potential for a responsible verdict and years in jail as jury choice started at his trial on Tuesday.
The settlement provided to the 36-year-old hip-hop star, style mogul and actor whose authorized identify is Rakim Mayers was to plead responsible to certainly one of his two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Los Angeles County prosecutors would additionally suggest a seven-year suspended sentence, three years of probation and the six-month jail time period.
However Rocky advised a decide he respectfully declined.
He’s accused of firing at a former buddy close to a Hollywood lodge in 2021, and will get a most sentence of 24 years in jail if convicted. He has pleaded not responsible.
Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina additionally revealed in court docket Tuesday that the protection plans to name witnesses to testify {that a} firearm seen on a safety video is a “starter pistol” that Rocky carried as a prop for safety functions. The technique had not been aired at pretrial hearings.
A panel of greater than 100 potential jurors have been summoned to the downtown Los Angeles courtroom and packed into the gallery. Opening statements will come as soon as 12 of them and alternates are seated, almost certainly Wednesday or later.
The Grammy-nominated hip-hop star, style mogul and actor whose authorized identify is Rakim Mayers is the longtime accomplice of Rihanna, and the 2 have two toddler sons collectively. It’s not fully clear whether or not Rihanna will seem to assist him at any level in court docket, however his lawyer has advised it’s unlikely. She didn’t attend Tuesday’s proceedings.
Rocky has been named one of many superstar chairs of the Met Gala in Might, and has a significant position in a Spike Lee-directed movie with Denzel Washington to be launched quickly after. However his life may very well be upended with a conviction.
Superior Court docket Choose Mark Arnold has mentioned he plans to seat a jury shortly, and is preserving strict limits on how lengthy attorneys can query potential jurors.
“Mr. Mayers is an entertainer. His stage identify is A$AP rocky. His life accomplice can be an entertainer. Her identify is Rihanna,” Arnold advised the possible jurors. As a result of Mr. Mayers is an entertainer, a celeb, that can’t hurt him, and it can’t profit him.”
The decide is permitting media cameras in court docket for your entire trial after a jury is chosen.
In 2023, one other decide dominated after a preliminary listening to that Rocky ought to stand trial for allegedly firing a gun at Terell Ephron, a childhood buddy who testified that their relationship had soured and a feud got here to a head on the night time of Nov. 6, 2021. Ephron testified that bullets grazed his knuckles.