A$AP Rocky’s trial is finally over. A California jury found the rapper, legal name Rakim Mayers, not guilty of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. When the verdict was announced, Mayers literally jumped into the crowd to hug his megastar girlfriend Rihanna.
The Harlem-born 36-year-old multiplatinum artist pleaded not guilty last year in January, and faced a total of 24 years in prison. During much of the trial, Rihanna could be seen in attendance with their two sons: RZA, 2 years old, and Riot, 1 year old.
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The case was sparked by a 2021 shooting incident in Los Angeles. It centered around former bandmate A$AP Relli accusing Mayers of using a semiautomatic firearm to shoot at him following a dispute, and that one of the supposed bullets grazed Relli’s hand.
Mayers’ attorneys argued that the gun in question was a prop gun that shot blanks instead of live ammunition. Multiple witnesses testified to confirm this, including Mayers’ tour manager. Bandmate A$AP Twelvyy testified that Mayers often carried a fake gun as a deterrent after being the victim of several violent crimes, including a stabbing and multiple home invasions. Investigators found no weapons or live ammunition at the scene of the crime.
After the verdict’s announcement and subsequent reaction, Mayers turned to the jury and shared his gratitude, saying “Thank y’all for saving my life.”
There have been many rumors over the past two years that Rihanna and Mayers secretly tied the knot. The release of A$AP Rocky’s long-awaited fifth album Don’t Be Dumb was derailed due to the trial, but is due for release sometime this year.
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