LOS ANGELES — A$AP Rocky embraced his defense team upon hearing the not-guilty verdict on two felony assault charges.
The Los Angeles courtroom, filled with fans and supporters of the rapper and his partner, erupted in joyous celebration as Rocky and Rihanna shared an emotional embrace.
Following a three-week trial and a three-hour jury deliberation, the verdict spared Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, from a potential prison sentence exceeding two decades.
“Thank y’all for saving my life,” he expressed to the jurors as they left the courtroom.
A slight delay occurred in announcing the second not-guilty verdict, though a divided jury outcome was highly improbable.
Before the trial, Rocky declined a plea bargain offering six months’ imprisonment, probation, and additional stipulations in exchange for a guilty plea on one charge.
Maintaining his innocence, Rocky opted for a jury trial, a gamble that ultimately proved successful, as the jury concluded there was reasonable doubt regarding his guilt.
Rihanna wept and hugged the defense lawyers, mirroring Rocky’s emotional response. She intermittently attended the trial, even bringing their two sons—2-year-old RZA Athelston Mayers and 1-year-old Riot Rose Mayers—for parts of the closing arguments.
The verdict arrives during a period of significant professional success for Rocky. The three-time Grammy nominee, fashion icon, and actor has numerous high-profile projects planned, now unburdened by the threat of imprisonment. He is slated to headline the Rolling Loud music festival in March, co-chair the Met Gala in May, and star alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s film “Highest 2 Lowest,” set for release in early summer.
Prosecutors and their witnesses alleged a conflict between Rocky and a former friend, A$AP Relli, a fellow member of the A$AP Mob. They claimed that on November 6, 2021, following a dispute, Rocky fired a gun at Relli, causing a minor graze wound.
Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, characterized Relli in his closing argument as “an angry pathological liar” who “committed perjury repeatedly.”
Rocky’s legal team and their witnesses contended that Rocky fired a blank-firing prop gun, obtained from a music video set, as a warning shot during an altercation in which Relli was attacking another individual.
The jury was informed that despite three years elapsing since the incident, the prop gun was not mentioned to authorities until jury selection commenced.
The jury was instructed that if they believed Rocky reasonably feared for his or his companions’ safety, and acted with reasonable force, they could find him not guilty.
The basis for the verdict—whether it stemmed from a belief that Rocky possessed a prop gun or acted in self-defense—remains unclear, as the jury wasn’t obligated to explain its reasoning beyond the deliberation room.
Rocky chose not to testify in his own defense.
In his closing statement, Deputy District Attorney John Lewin cautioned the jury against undue influence from celebrity status or family dynamics, suggesting Rihanna’s presence with the children during closing arguments was a manipulative tactic.
“You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids,” the prosecutor stated. “We are all responsible for our own actions in the world.”
Following the verdict, Tacopina stated outside the courthouse that Rocky had preferred Rihanna’s absence but was unable to dissuade her.
He described Rocky’s desire to shield Rihanna from the trial, adding that “Wild horses couldn’t keep her away.”
“I can’t imagine this has been anything but a life-altering experience for them,” he concluded.