LOS ANGELES (AP) — The anticipated culmination of A$AP Rocky’s high-profile trial is at hand, as his defense attorney is set to conclude his closing argument on Friday. The defense team aims to convince the jurors that the individual Rocky is accused of shooting at, who was once a close friend, provided false and misleading testimony on critical matters. Commencing on Thursday, the closing arguments began with Rocky’s longtime partner, the renowned singing sensation Rihanna, quietly entering the courtroom in downtown Los Angeles, accompanied by their two young sons.
Joe Tacopina, Rocky’s lawyer, urged the jurors to exercise their discretion to disregard any statements made by a witness if they suspect dishonesty in their testimony. Tacopina emphasized that if the jurors were to apply this standard to Rocky’s accuser, known as A$AP Relli, “there is no case.” He asserted, “This individual has a habit of distorting the truth, and the key facts he presented have been proven false.”
Following the defense’s closing argument, the jurors are expected to deliberate on the two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, with prosecutors offering a rebuttal. Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec posed a pivotal question for the jurors to consider: “Was the gun real or a replica?” He contended that the evidence overwhelmingly supports the assertion that the firearm discharged by Rocky on a Hollywood street corner was indeed real, not a prop.
The defense countered by claiming that the gun in question was a prop, firing only blanks, which Rocky had obtained for security purposes months earlier from the set of his music video featuring Rihanna. Throughout the proceedings, Rihanna, holding one of her sons, attempted to keep him occupied with a toy while observing the trial. During a recess, Rocky passed by the jurors while holding his younger son.
In the event of a conviction, Rocky could face a maximum prison sentence of 24 years. Rocky and Relli had initially been friends since their high school days in New York and were part of a creative collective known as the A$AP Mob. However, their relationship deteriorated into conflict by 2021, leading to the violent altercation outside a hotel in Hollywood, where Rocky allegedly discharged the firearm.
Testimonies from witnesses, including A$AP Twelvyy and Rocky’s tour manager, supported the defense’s claim that Rocky had fired blanks from a prop gun known to all parties involved. The prosecution, however, contended that these witnesses provided coordinated and untruthful testimonies, with no concrete evidence of a prop gun or its use presented by either side.
As the trial nears its conclusion, the fate of A$AP Rocky hangs in the balance, with the contrasting narratives presented by the defense and prosecution leaving the jurors with the weighty responsibility of determining the truth in this high-stakes legal battle.
