A$AP Rocky has been found not guilty of felony assault charges, ending a three-week trial accusing the rapper of firing a gun at his former friend, A$AP Relli. The Los Angeles jury declared him not guilty on two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
The incident transpired back in 2021 when A$AP Relli — real name Terell Ephron — accused A$AP Rocky — real name Rakim Mayers — of shooting him outside of the W Hotel in Hollywood. Mayers allegedly aimed the weapon at Ephron’s head and stomach, and Ephron claimed his hand was grazed by a bullet. Mayers' attorneys argued Mayers was only in possession of a prop gun with no bullets.
A$AP Rocky was arrested in 2022 in connection to the shooting and charged with two felonies. The trial was postponed from November 2024 to January 2025. Police found no evidence at the crime scene, but Ephron claimed to have found two 9mm shell casings. However, his testimonial revealed he'd been at a gun range two weeks before the shooting, helping A$AP Rocky's attorney's argument that Ephron planted the two 9mm shell casings.
Mayers was facing up to 24 years in prison. He was offered a plea deal of 180 days in jail, three years on probation, and other conditions, which he turned down and pleaded not guilty. Ephron has launched a $30 million civil lawsuit against him.
Rocky’s partner Rihanna attended parts of the weeks-long trial in Los Angeles, sometimes bringing the couple’s two young children. “You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids,” prosecutor John Lewin told jurors during his closing argument.
Hopefully Rocky will finally release his oft-delayed album Don’t Be Dumb soon.
Shortly after the verdict, Rocky posted on X: “DON’T BE DUMB.” "THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE!," Rihanna posted on Instagram. "THANKFUL. HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!"
DON’T BE DUMB
— LORD FLACKO JODYE II (@asvpxrocky) February 19, 2025
A$AP Rocky jumps into the gallery and embraces Rihanna in an emotional moment following the reading of his Not Guilty verdict. pic.twitter.com/2vxTwINyyB
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) February 19, 2025
UPDATE: On Thursday, Relli took to Instagram Stories to share his own statement: "Gossiping is a form of entertainment for people who have no meaningful goals or purpose in life. Hate me, bring shame to my name, say bad things about me, I don’t care. Your existence doesn’t add any value in my life."
