Los Angeles– A judge ruled on Monday that there is sufficient proof for A$ AP Rocky to endure trial on charges that he shot a former friend and colleague in 2021 while walking through the streets close to an upscale hotel.
After hearing about one and a half days ‘ worth of testimony from two witnesses, Superior Court Judge M. L. Villar issued the decision at pleading reading. Rocky has entered not guilty pleas to two misdemeanor counts of assault with a automatic weapons. Rocky did not appear to respond to the ruling.
The 35-year-old singer, fashion tycoon, and two-time Grammy nominee has two young children with Rihanna.
If found guilty of all costs, he may spend up to 24 years in prison, according to the prosecution.
According to Villar,” the entirety of the film and testimony” demonstrates that the defendant has enough proof to enter a trial. She emphasized that compared to a trial, initial hearings have significantly lower standards for evidence.
Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, stated outside of court,” We’re certainly disappointed, not surprised, we expected to go to trial, and we’ve been planning for test all along.” When all is said and done, Rocky will unquestionably been vindicated.
Terell Ephron testified that he and Rocky, a childhood friend, had belonged to the same group of musicians and artists at their New York high school on the first day of the reading, which resumed on Monday after much wait.
He claimed that their marriage had begun to deteriorate, which led to the Hollywood conflict on November 6, 2021, in which Rocky allegedly pulled a gun on him and then fired shots that touched Ephron’s knuckles.
Before passing judgment, Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec told the judge that “you need nothing more than Mr. Ephron’s witness by itself.” He also said that the security videos that captured portions of the event” corroborates exactly what Mr.”
” There are some real issues with the evidence of the complainant,” Tacopina retorted, adding,” I think there’s not enough information.”
A pair of 9 mm shell casings that were in police custody were recovered by Ephron, who returned to the scene about an hour after the conflict, according to Tacopina’s information during questioning of a police detective earlier on Monday. Seven police officers had searched the sidewalk and street about 20 minutes before the shots were reportedly fired.
Tacopina watched the officers ‘ body camera footage as they searched the area for about 10 minutes. Two weeks after reporting the incident to the police, Ephron turned over the barrel casings, which the inspector claimed were fingerprint-free.
A video was recorded by the prosecution from a location close to the scene where no one is immediately visible but what appears to be two gunshots can be heard. A man next sprints around a spot before slowing down to walk. Although the boy’s identity is unclear in the movie, LAPD Detective Frank Flores testified that they have determined that Rocky is who he claims to be.
When a seek warrant was issued for Rocky, Flores testified that no 9 mm handgun was found.
Prosecutors displayed a still from surveillance video that showed the face of the man wearing the hoodie, which had no obvious gun, and another picture from the same video showing him holding what appeared to be the gun. Torres testified that they knew it was Rocky because of the pictures.
Tacopina, who is also defending Donald Trump in his legal case in New York, pressed the policeman on the tool and claimed that there was no way for police to determine whether it was a filled or even real gun.
That weapons, or whatever it was, was n’t put to the test, am I correct? Tacopina enquired. No, it was never found, Torres remarked.
You’re never sure if it’s an functional gun or a non-operatable weapons, or whatever, Tacopina enquired.
The detective retorted,” I ca n’t tell you if it’s operable without having it.
Tacopina also made an effort to cast doubt on Ephron’s small hands damage by posing the question of why he took so long to get medical attention after returning to New York.
He rudely remarked,” It’s a wonder he survived that shooting,” after showing the detective the picture of the scraped fingertips.
The prosecutor reprimanded him and instructed Tacopina to develop down several times.
Rocky was detained in the case in April and charged in August at the Los Angeles International Airport. He spent the weekend at the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix engine competition, where he played a significant role as Puma’s artistic director in the clothing company ‘ partnership with F1. He entered the court on Monday night wearing an all-black coat, glasses, and face helmet.
He has n’t released much music in recent years, but he is better known for being Rihanna’s romantic partner, fellow fashion influencer, and co-parent. In May, they had a second son together. His earliest two studio songs, released in 2013 and 2015, both placed at the top. On the Billboard 200, position 1.
When questioned outside of court about whether Rocky may invite Rihanna, who was absent from the preliminary sessions, to his trial, Tacopina said,” He would not subject his family; he wants to protect them. He handles it like Rocky handles things.
Rocky even turned into an unlikely cause for then-President Donald Trump, who claimed he was attempting to free the rapper and have him come back to the United States after a fight in Sweden in 2019. At trial, he was found guilty of assault, but was only given a” conditional sentence” —no more time in prison.