News

A$AP Rocky is headed for a trial — with no plans for Rihanna to attend — after being accused of shooting ex-friend A$AP Relli

Rapper A$AP Rocky will go to trial after he was accused of shooting a former friend. A judge ruled Monday that enough evidence exists to support his two assault with a firearm charges.

Rakim Mayers, aka A$AP Rocky, in the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center during a preliminary hearing in his assault with a semiautomatic firearm case in Los Angeles. (Allison Dinner/EPA via AP, Pool)

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar in Los Angeles said California state law requires only a “scintilla” of evidence to support the charges, and prosecutors have provided” more than sufficient evidence,” including video showing a gun. The judge said she agrees with Rocky’s lawyer that another video doesn’t show the shooting, but in another, “You do hear two shots.”

Rocky, who is Rihanna’s boyfriend and the father of her two children, is accused of firing shots at Terell “A$AP Relli” Ephron on Nov. 6, 2021, in Hollywood. Ephron testified on Nov. 8 that the first bullet grazed the knuckles on his left hand. The evidence against Rocky includes a photo of Relli’s scraped knuckles. He sought medical attention at a hospital in New York after flying back there from Los Angeles.

His lawyer, prominent New York lawyer Joe Tacopina, told reporters outside the courthouse that he isn’t surprised Villar found probable cause given the low standard. He said he welcomes a trial.

“I am certain Rocky is going to be vindicated when all is said and done,” said Tacopina, who also represents former President Donald Trump in his tax fraud case related to the hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Tacopina also was Trump’s lawyer in the civil trial with a woman who accused him of raping her, columnist E. Jean Carroll, that ended with a Manhattan federal jury ordering Trump to pay Carroll $5 million for defaming and sexually abusing her.

He says the shooting never happened, and that Relli is falsely accusing Rocky to try to extort money from him.

“There’s some evidence that’s going to be insurmountable. The witness is not going to be able to withstand cross-examination in front of the jury,” Tacopina told reporters.

Relli testified on Nov. 8 that he was angry with Rocky because he believed Rocky had backed out of a plan to pay for a friend’s body to be flown back to New York. Relli sent Rocky a text that began, “You so fucking fake it’s sad,” then overheard Rocky disparaging him in a phone call to a mutual friend. Rocky later texted him asking him, “Wya?” — short for “Where you at” — “Lets get to it” and “Stop duckin my calls.”

They met near a hotel in Hollywood, and Rocky was “coming hot,” Relli testified. He said Rocky pointed the gun in his stomach and said “I’ll kill you right now.” He then fired three to four shots, the first of which grazed Relli’s knuckles, he said.

“He was on my ass. He was trying to, like, shoot me,” Relli said. Relli said he ran from the scene, then contacted the police on Nov. 8 after contacting a lawyer.

Los Angeles police Detective Frank Flores was the only other witness beside Relli. He testified Monday about collecting the surveillance video and extracting still images from it, including one he said shows Rocky holding a gun.

Legal name Rakim Mayers, 35-year-old Rocky was charged in November 2022 with two counts of first-degree assault with a firearm.

Rocky was arrested in April 2022 at the Los Angeles airport as he returned from Barbados with Rihanna, and police raided the couple’s home in Los Angeles. He posted $550,000 bond and has been out of custody ever since.

Asked what he would tell Rihanna if she wanted to go to court to support Rocky, Tacopina said Rocky “would never subject his family. He wants to shield them.”

“He’s handling it like Rocky would handle something. He protects his family,” Tacopina said.

Relli also is suing Rocky and Tacopina for defamation, and he’s represented by Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez, the same lawyers who represented Johnny Depp in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard.

Relli has another lawsuit against Rocky for assault, battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Judge Villar shut down Tacopina’s questions about the lawsuits and Relli’s hiring of a civil lawyer, saying she doesn’t believe the issue is relevant to whether probable cause exists.

Related Posts

Trump and Musk send MAGA world wild with powerful duet of God Bless America at Mar-a-Lago – with a glaring problem

Donald Trump and Elon Musk looked more like Simon and Garfunkel at Mar-a-Lago during a rendition of God Bless America – but fans spotted one minor problem. The duo returned to a hero’s welcome at the ‘Winter White House’ Wednesday night after Trump had a friendly chat with the Bidens in D.C. and joked he can’t get rid of his billionaire ‘first buddy.’ Conservatives were thrilled to see them alongside opera singer Chris Macchio for a rendition of the American classic.

‘UFOs are real’: Congress to hear Pentagon whistleblower’s bombshell testimony at major ‘alien’ hearing TODAY

A PENTAGON whistleblower who claims UFOs are real is set to present his bombshell testimony at a major “alien“ hearing today before the US Congress. Former counterintelligence officer Luis Elizondo, who is said to have investigated UFO cases while at the Department of Defence, claims America is in “possession of UAP technologies“. The former defence official will speak before The US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Furious woman whose daughter was ‘given detention for wearing a poppy pin on Remembrance Day’ blasts school’s punishment as ridiculous

A furious mother has claimed that her daughter was given a detention for wearing a poppy pin on Remembrance Day. The parent said she was angered that her child was punished for trying to commemorate and honour those who served and sacrificed in the war. As Britain came together to mark Armistice Day on November 11, the mother was shocked to receive a text from her youngster saying she had been handed a detention for wearing a poppy pin.

Everyone can see the autumn scene – but you have a high IQ & 20/20 vision if you find the sneaky dogs in 12 seconds

THIS is the brainteaser to get you in the Autumn mood, as you’re challenged to find the hidden dogs amongst the golden leaves. Everyone can see the people gathering up leaves that have fallen from the trees, but only those with 20/20 vision and a high IQ can spot the sneaky dogs in 12 seconds. The teaser from Vape Globe will remind you of the last time you saw a really crunchable leaf on the pavement and had no choice but to step on it.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper opens show with five words he ‘never contemplated using’ after Trump’s shock Cabinet picks

Jake Tapper was absolutely dumbfounded beginning his show Wednesday after Donald Trump nominated Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General. Trump named the controversial Florida Congressman as his nominee in a move that is bound to outrage Democrats and even shock many Republicans in Washington. Perhaps expressing that outrage, Tapper began his show in utter awe of the nomination.

Frankenstein scientists create flocks of creepy zombie drones out of DEAD BIRDS in haunting spy experiments

ZOMBIE duck drones have been made by scientists using eerie flocks of dead birds in a haunting set of spy experiments. Clever biomimetic roboticists at New Mexico Tech have miraculously discovered a way to use deceased animal parts to create realistic flying and swimming impostors. The Frankenstein scientists believe that the taxidermy bird drones will be able to help wildlife in a natural way by blending into a natural environment and sending information back to research centres.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *