Rapper A$AP Rocky Acquitted of Felony Assault Charges in Hollywood Shooting Case
After a lengthy trial in a Los Angeles court, Grammy-nominated artist A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been acquitted of two felony assault charges. This verdict comes as a relief to the rapper, who was facing potential decades-long prison time over allegations that he shot at a former friend in Hollywood in 2021.
The trial centered around accusations that Mayers fired a nine-millimeter semi-automatic weapon during a confrontation with Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, on November 6, 2021. Ephron claimed that he was grazed by one of the bullets, but Mayers maintained that he had only been carrying a harmless prop gun.
Once close friends and members of the A$AP rap collective, Mayers and Ephron had a falling out over claims of Mayers’ arrogance due to his success. Ephron testified that Mayers lured him to a Hollywood parking garage, where the rapper allegedly pointed a gun at him, threatened to kill him, and fired two shots. However, Mayers’ defense team, led by attorney Joe Tacopina, argued that no real firearm was involved and that it was simply a prop gun.
Tacopina also highlighted the lack of evidence at the scene, as police officers found no shell casings or weapons. Ephron later claimed to have discovered two shell casings himself, leading the defense to question his credibility and motives, suggesting that the case was an attempt to extort money from the rapper.
Despite the verdict, Mayers and his partner, global music star Rihanna, have not publicly commented on the outcome. Rihanna attended court frequently throughout the trial to support Mayers.
A$AP Rocky rose to fame with chart-topping albums like Long. Live. A$AP and At. Long. Last. A$AP. This is not the rapper’s first legal battle, as he faced an assault case in Sweden in 2019 that garnered international attention and even intervention from then-US President Donald Trump.
