Judge Orders A$AP Rocky to Face Trial for Alleged Gun Incident

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Judge Orders A$AP Rocky to Face Trial for Alleged Gun Incident

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge, M.L. Villar, has ruled that rapper A$AP Rocky must stand trial on allegations of firing a gun at a former friend and colleague. This decision came after a preliminary hearing, during which Judge Villar reviewed testimony and video evidence over one and a half days. A$AP Rocky, who has entered a plea of not guilty, faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in connection with the 2021 incident outside a Hollywood hotel.

The renowned 35-year-old musician and fashion icon, who has earned two Grammy nominations, is romantically involved with singer Rihanna and shares two young sons with her. Judge Villar stated that the compiled evidence, including video footage and testimonies, was sufficient for the case to proceed to trial. She noted that the burden of proof in preliminary hearings is significantly lower than in trials.

In the courtroom, A$AP Rocky remained stoic as the judge’s decision was announced. His attorney, Joe Tacopina, expressed neither disappointment nor surprise at the outcome, affirming their readiness for trial and confidence in Rocky’s eventual vindication.

Testimony from the first day of the hearing, resumed after a delay, featured Terell Ephron, a childhood friend of Rocky and fellow member of their New York high school’s artist collective. Ephron described a deteriorating relationship leading up to the November 6, 2021, confrontation, alleging Rocky brandished and later fired a gun, resulting in a grazing injury to Ephron’s hand.

Tacopina challenged the evidence, highlighting that a police search conducted shortly after the alleged shooting found no proof of the incident. He also noted that two 9mm shell casings were retrieved by Ephron himself, an hour after the confrontation, and presented to the police without any recoverable fingerprints.

A separate video, presented by the prosecution, captured sounds resembling gunshots and a man, later identified by LAPD Detective Frank Flores as A$AP Rocky, running from the scene. However, no 9mm pistol was found during a subsequent search warrant execution on Rocky’s property. Tacopina questioned the credibility of the firearm evidence and the severity of Ephron’s injuries, leading to several admonitions from the judge for his tone.

A$AP Rocky, who was arrested in April and charged in August regarding this case, attended the hearing in a dark suit, sunglasses, and face mask. His recent activities included a role in Puma’s partnership with Formula One at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Despite a slowdown in his music output, Rocky remains a high-profile figure in fashion and is well-known for his relationship with Rihanna.

His legal troubles are not new; in 2019, he was embroiled in a high-profile case in Sweden, which drew the attention of then-President Donald Trump. In that case, Rocky received a conditional sentence, avoiding further jail time after being found guilty of assault.

The preliminary hearing in California serves as a preliminary assessment, with a judge determining the sufficiency of evidence to justify a trial. This phase requires a lower standard of proof compared to that needed to establish criminal guilt in a trial.

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More about A$AP Rocky Trial

• A$AP Rocky Charged With Assault
• Hollywood Hotel Shooting Incident
• Preliminary Hearing Details in A$AP Rocky Case
• A$AP Rocky’s Legal Defense Strategy
• A$AP Rocky’s Previous Legal Troubles in Sweden