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A$AP Rocky Rejects Plea Deal in Firearm Assault Case as Trial Begins


Thu 23 Jan 2025 | 11:31 AM
A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky
Yara Sameh

A$AP Rocky rejected a plea deal from prosecutors in his Hollywood assault case as the trial began in downtown Los Angeles, a little over two years after he was charged with opening fire on a former friend and collaborator.

Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, has been in a long-running relationship with singer and business mogul Rihanna and the couple has two children together. His defense attorney previously told a judge that she may attend part of the trial in support.

Mayers, 36, allegedly pointed a handgun at the victim and fired twice in his direction during a later confrontation in Hollywood on Nov. 6, 2021, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. 

The victim — fellow artist and childhood friend Terell Ephron, who previously performed as A$AP Relli — testified last year that bullets grazed his knuckles and he decided to seek medical treatment at a hospital after flying back to New York.

Both men were once members of the hip-hop collective known as A$AP Mob.

Since being arrested in April 2022, the Grammy-nominated rapper has maintained his innocence. At the time, the Los Angeles Police Department announced his arrest in a statement describing the victim's injury as "minor." 

According to LAPD, the shots were fired in Hollywood near Selma Avenue and Argyle Avenue, just around the corner from the iconic Hollywood and Vine intersection.

 The Harlem-born rapper, who first rose to fame with early singles like "Peso" before gaining more mainstream success after his breakout debut album Live. Love. A$AP, was later charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. 

He has pleaded not guilty, and earlier this month, his attorney told reporters outside a downtown LA courthouse that he would be "vindicated."

"I want to get this done and over so he can start enjoying his family and move on," said his lawyer, Joe Tacopina. "We're going to be quiet and we're going to try this (case) in a courtroom, and when we do, facts will come out that show that he's truly innocent and he's a victim in this case."

During the hearing, Tacopina said the defense planned to call in witnesses who will testify the gun Mayers allegedly had the night of the shooting was a "starter pistol" which he carried around as a prop for security reasons.

In November, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar found the case could go to trial, saying there was sufficient evidence for Mayers to stand trial on allegations he shot at his former friend.

At the November hearing, Ephron testified that he told Mayers he had become "big-headed" due to his success — telling the award-winning rapper that he had "failed everybody" and no one else was brave enough to share their honest opinions.

"I just wanted him to hear my side," Ephron told the court. He said Mayers then allegedly turned around and opened fire.

The rapper has remained free on bond and appeared in court when his trial was set to start with jury selection.