A Los Angeles judge has determined that rapper A$AP Rocky must proceed to trial over allegations of firing a gun at a former friend and collaborator outside a Hollywood hotel in 2021. Judge M.L. Villar rendered this decision after a preliminary hearing, considering the video evidence and testimonies presented.
A$AP Rocky, who pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, had his attorney challenge the case’s credibility during cross-examination of a police detective. Despite defense efforts, the judge concluded that the totality of evidence warranted a trial.
In response, Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, reiterated their readiness for trial and expressed confidence in his client’s eventual vindication. The hearing featured testimony from Terell Ephron, the alleged victim, detailing their strained relationship culminating in the Hollywood confrontation, where he claimed Rocky brandished a gun and later fired shots that grazed his knuckles.
The prosecution highlighted Ephron’s testimony, supported by surveillance video evidence, stating that it corroborated the incident. Tacopina countered with questioning the absence of concrete evidence at the scene and the recovery of shell casings by Ephron.
Moreover, the defense challenged the lack of definitive proof regarding the recovered weapon’s operability and questioned the extent of Ephron’s injury, implying a delayed medical response.
Despite attempts to contest the case’s validity, the judge ruled that the evidence and testimonies provided adequate grounds for the trial to proceed, a decision met with resolute preparation for Rocky’s defense.
