After two weeks of trial and three hours of jury deliberation, A$AP Rocky, legally known as Rakim Mayers, was found not guilty of all charges against him, including firing a gun at his former friend in November of 2021. As the jury delivered their verdict of not guilty, Mayers was seen bolting towards his mother and partner, Rihanna, and diving over people to hug them.
Felony Assault Charges
A$AP Rocky’s trial began on January 24, 2025, and lasted two weeks, concluding on February 18. It was challenging, to say the least. He was accused of firing a gun at a former friend, A$AP Relli. Authorities charged him with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence. The rapper was offered a plea deal of 180 days in jail but chose to turn it down and opt for a jury trial. If he were to have been found guilty, he would face 24 years in prison.
A$AP Rocky Assault Trial
A$AP Rocky’s defense attorney, Joe Tacopina, made his opening statement to the courtroom explaining that Relli fabricated the incident, created evidence, and placed it to frame Mayers because he was jealous and greedy. His defense claims he carried a prop gun, which was present at the time of the altercation. Deputy District Attorney Przelomiec argued it was a real gun. He reminded jurors that this was not a case of attempted murder but assault. He was not there to convince them Rocky intended to kill Relli but that he did injure him by firing a gun.
In Przelomiec’s opening statement, he explained the events that took place before the alleged assault. A$AP Rocky and A$AP Relli agreed to meet with three other A$AP members. They came together outside a parking lot intending to reconcile issues. Relli was surprised to see Rocky allegedly pull out a firearm and threaten to kill him. Relli followed the men around the corner, where Rocky allegedly pulled out his weapon and opened fire on him.
Relli testified for several days during the beginning of the trial. Most of his testimony did not match his initial statements, and his story consistently changed. His attorneys made a mistake by putting him on the stand. He testified that Mayers pointed a gun at him. However, in his interview with the police, he said Rocky put the barrel to his chest. In another instance, he testified the rapper said, “I’ll kill you”, but when speaking with prosecutors, he could not recall the words.
Final Thoughts on the Verdict
The burning question that the jury had to answer truly was whether the gun A$AP Rocky had in his possession was a prop or if it was real. Considering a not-guilty verdict, they seemingly believed it was a prop that could only fire blanks. Relli’s injuries were not consistent with a bullet graze either, so it would not make sense if it were a real gun. However, you do have to wonder if any jury members voted in favor of Rocky for the sole purpose of his and Rihanna’s fame.
Upon the jury’s verdict, Mayers thanked them directly, saying, “Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank y’all for making the right decision.” Rihanna expressed similar gratitude through her Instagram stories. The public is also pleased with the jury’s verdict encouraging the rapper to stay out of trouble from now on and for the couple to focus on building their family. Mayers and Rihanna promised to name their third kid A$AP Joe, to commemorate the work Tacopina did for their family. Joking or not, it is a sweet gesture.
