A$AP Rocky has pleaded not guilty to charges that he shot his former friend Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, with a gun.
The rapper pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday to shooting another hip hop artist in Hollywood more than two years ago. The 35-year-old singer, who has two children with partner Rihanna, faces charges that he attacked Terell Ephron with a semi-automatic weapon on November 6, 2021.
“I want this to be over and I want him to be able to be with his family and move on,” said Joe Tacopina, Rocky‘s lawyer. Ephron accused the rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, of shooting him several times in the middle of a fight in Hollywood, injuring his hand. Rocky was arrested in the case in April 2022 when he disembarked at Los Angeles airport from Barbados, where he was on holiday with Rihanna, then about to give birth to their first child.
During the previous hearing, a video was shown which, according to prosecutors, captured the moment of the alleged shooting. Although the defence argued that there was no clear evidence of a shooting in the footage, Judge Villar admitted the heated exchange between the two parties. Relli’s testimony, claiming that Rocky’s shots grazed his left knuckles, added complexity to the case.
“The court agrees with the defence that there is no actual shooting in the video. Later, in another section of the video, two shots are heard,” Judge Villar said at sentencing, admitting that “tempers were high on both sides”. Referring to Relli’s lengthy testimony, she said, “In any event, Mr. Ephron does what appears to be a dance around the other individuals to avoid being shot. His testimony is that he was shot.”
Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, questioned Detective Frank Flores, the only witness at the preliminary hearing, noting the lack of a recovered gun and the absence of fingerprints on the shell casings turned over by Relli. Tacopina added that Rocky may testify during the trial, “Common sense is going to prevail and we’re going to get (Rocky) out of this, and he’s going to be vindicated.” And he warned, “The evidence we have that they don’t know about is going to be devastating, devastating.”
Rocky is also being sued by Ephron for alleged assault, battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. “The defendant generally denies each and every allegation in the complaint and specifically denies that the plaintiff was injured. The injuries and/or damages alleged in the complaint, if any, were caused by the negligent and/or intentional acts or omissions of a person other than the defendant”.
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