ASAP Rocky to Stand Trial for Firing Gun at Former Friend
A judge in Los Angeles has determined that there is enough evidence for ASAP Rocky to stand trial for allegations that he fired a gun at a former friend and collaborator outside a Hollywood hotel in 2021.
The ruling was made by Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar at a preliminary hearing, following a day and a half of testimony. ASAP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. His attorney attempted to cast doubt on the case while questioning a police detective.
ASAP Rocky had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. His attorney raised questions about the case during the hearing.
In addition to his music career, the 35-year-old hip-hop star is also a fashion mogul and a two-time Grammy nominee. He is currently in a relationship with pop star Rihanna and they have two young sons together.
Judge Villar stated that "the totality of the video and testimony" presented during the preliminary hearing showed sufficient evidence for the defendant to proceed to trial. She clarified that the standard of evidence at a preliminary hearing is lower than that of a trial, and her ruling was based on probable cause.
Rocky Faces Testimony in Courtroom
Rocky, sitting in the courtroom, showed no visible reaction.
During the first day of the hearing, Terell Ephron took the stand and testified about his relationship with Rocky. They had been friends since childhood and were part of the same collective of musicians and artists at their New York high school.
Ephron revealed that their friendship had soured, leading to a standoff in Hollywood on November 6, 2021. According to Ephron, Rocky pulled a gun on him during the altercation and later fired shots that grazed Ephron's knuckles.
Rocky's attorney, Joe Tacopina, questioned a police detective and highlighted that a search conducted by seven officers immediately after the alleged shooting found no evidence of gunfire. Tacopina also pointed out that the 9 mm shell casings in police possession were recovered by Ephron, who returned to the scene an hour after the standoff.
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Prosecutors presented a video from a nearby location where no individuals were initially visible. However, the audio captured two gunshots. Subsequently, a man is seen running around a corner before slowing down to a walk. Although the man's identity is not clear in the footage, Flores, a witness, confirmed that it is Rocky.
LAPD Detective Frank Flores, questioned by Tacopina, stated that no 9 mm pistol was found during the execution of a search warrant on Rocky.
The prosecutors displayed a still image extracted from surveillance footage, which depicted a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt. The man's face was not visible, but he appeared to be holding a gun. Another image from the same video revealed the man's face without the presence of a gun. Flores testified that the combination of these images helped them identify the individual as Rocky.
Tacopina, who is also representing Donald Trump in his New York criminal case and other matters, questioned the detective about the weapon. Tacopina suggested that the police had no way of determining whether the gun was loaded or even real.
"That gun or whatever it was was not tested, right?" Tacopina asked.
"No, it was never recovered," Flores replied.
Tacopina further inquired, "You're not sure if it's an operable gun or a non-operable gun or whatever?"
"Without having it, I can't tell you whether it's operable," the detective responded.
Tacopina attempted to raise doubts about the minor injury on Ephron's hand, questioning why he waited until he returned to New York to seek medical treatment.
During the investigation, he presented a photograph of the injured fingers to the detective and made a sarcastic remark, stating, "It's truly a miracle that he survived that shooting."
On multiple occasions, the judge reprimanded him and advised Tacopina to modify his tone.
In April, Rocky was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport in relation to the case, and he was formally charged in August. On Monday morning, he arrived at the courtroom wearing a dark suit, sunglasses, and a face mask, following his attendance at the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix auto race over the weekend. At the event, he served as Puma's creative director in the clothing brand's collaboration with F1.
In recent years, Rocky has released minimal music and has gained more recognition as the romantic partner and fellow fashion influencer of Rihanna, with whom he welcomed a second son in May. His first two studio albums, released in 2013 and 2015, both reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Rocky also unexpectedly became a cause supported by then-President Donald Trump, who made efforts to secure the rapper's release and return to the United States following his imprisonment after a brawl in Sweden in 2019. Although he was found guilty of assault during the trial, he received a "conditional sentence" that did not involve additional jail time.
In California Courts, Preliminary Hearings Serve as Miniature Trials
California courts have a unique system where preliminary hearings act as a condensed version of a trial. During these hearings, only a judge is present to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed with a full trial. The standard of proof required is much lower than that of criminal guilt.
