3 days ago
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A jury has found American rapper A$AP Rocky not guilty of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm following a nearly month-long trial in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, February 19, 2025, the highly anticipated verdict was read out loud to the courtroom, leading to an eruption of loud cheers. Overwhelmed by emotions, the rapper immediately hugged his lawyers and ran straight to his romantic partner and mother of his children, Rihanna.
At the beginning of the trial, Rocky entered a not-guilty plea to two felony charges linked to an incident where he allegedly pulled a gun and fired at his former childhood friend, Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli from the A$AP mob.
However, on February 11, ASAP Rocky decided to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify in his own defence, after which his team rested their case. His decision to not testify garnered reactions online because he had previously turned down his plea deal, which included a 180-day jail term and a suspended sentence.
"We said from day one, he was innocent. He turned down a plea for almost no jail time because he was innocent, We're honored to have represented this amazing family, " Joe Tacopina, his defense attorney, told reporters outside the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown LA.
Rocky's reaction and running straight to Rihanna garnered reactions on social media:
Seeing a Black man go home to his family is very satisfying.
that man went straight to his wife, that should tell you everything we need to know she takes good care of him ❤️
That’s a man who thought he could have lost it all. God bless him and his choices moving forward.
That’s right ASAP go be with your family. Rhianna a real one 🙏🏾🙌🏾
English (US) ·