Africa-Press – Ethiopia. US Rapper A$AP Rocky pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges in connection to an alleged 2021 shooting of his former friend A$AP Relli, according to People. Both rappers are past members of the hip hop collective A$AP Mob.
A judge in Los Angeles, M.L. Villar, had ruled on 20 November 2023 that “the totality of the video and testimony” showed there was enough evidence against A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers, for him to stand trial, according to NBC News.
Per NBC News, after the November hearing, A$AP Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, said:
In the trial, the L$D rapper is the defendant and A$AP Relli, real name Tyrell Ephron, is the plaintiff.
Rocky has been charged with two counts of allegedly shooting A$AP Relli with a semi-automatic handgun. In a preliminary hearing, Relli stated that he and Rocky had gotten into an altercation on 6 November 2021, according to E!. Rocky had pointed a gun at Relli during an argument and fired two shots at him.
Relli had allegedly suffered minor injuries to his left hand.
“Unbeknownst to Mr. Ephron, A$AP Rocky was not just planning for a conversation and came armed with a semi-automatic handgun,” said Relli’s attorneys, Jamal Tooson and Brian Hurwitz, in a 2022 statement to Rolling Stone.
“After arriving at the location, a conversation ensued whereby without provocation, warning, or any justification, A$AP Rocky produced the handgun and intentionally fired multiple shots at Mr. Ephron,” the statement continued.
A$AP Rocky’s next hearing is scheduled for 6 March.
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