A$AP Rocky rejects plea deal as assault trial begins

Rapper A$AP Rockywhose real name is Rakim Mayer, appeared in court to begin jury selection in his trial and rejected the prosecution's plea.

The “Praise the Lord” man is accused of firing a gun at his ex-boyfriend in 2021 and could face up to 24 years in prison if convicted.

A$AP Rocky is in a relationship with singer and fashion mogul Rihanna. A couple shares two sonsRZA and Riot.

On Tuesday, A$AP Rocky appeared in court in downtown Los Angeles for jury selection in his criminal trial.

According to APhe rejected a final plea offer from Los Angeles County prosecutors.

Had the rapper agreed to the deal, he would have pleaded guilty to one of the two charges against him and would have served six months in prison with three years of probation and seven years of probation.

However, A$AP Rocky and his legal team rejected the offer, although his attorney Joe Tacopina hinted at a key defense strategy during the trial.

Tacopina plans to argue that the firearm in question was a “starter gun,” a non-lethal item the rapper allegedly carried for safety.

More than 100 potential jurors were called on the first day of Rocky's trial.

Presiding Judge Mark Arnold shared his plans to quickly empanel a jury, with opening statements expected to begin as early as Wednesday.

Arnold also strictly limits the amount of time attorneys can question potential jurors.

Arnold told the prospective jurors, “Mr. Myers is an entertainer. His name is A$AP Rocky. His partner is also an entertainer. Her name is Rihanna. Because Mr. Myers is an entertainer, a celebrity that can't hurt him. , and it can't hurt him.” to benefit.”

The judge will also allow media coverage of the court throughout the trial after jury selection.

Rocky's charges stem from an alleged altercation between him and his childhood friend Terrell Efron on November 6, 2021.

Efron claimed Rocky fired a gun at him during a heated argument outside a Hollywood hotel. He also claimed that the bullets grazed his fingers.

The incident reportedly marked the culmination of Rocky and Efron's feud.

The previous hearing was held in November 2021, where then-presiding judge ML Villars ruled that there was enough evidence for Rocky to stand trial on the charges against him.

According to Villar's ruling, Tacopina said“We're not disappointed or surprised, we expected to go to trial, we planned for a trial all along. Rocky will be vindicated when it's all said and done, no doubt about it.”

A$AP Rocky's trial comes at a time when his career is thriving despite his legal troubles.

He was named one of the celebrity chairs at the Met Gala in May and will star in the upcoming Spike Lee-directed film starring Denzel Washington.

However, if he is found guilty, his career could be derailed and his track record could be questioned.

Meanwhile, Rihanna has yet to appear in court during her partner's trial. Her presence in court could lead to even more attention, but that is unlikely to happen.

Tacopina said it's unlikely the “Umbrella” singer will go to trial, but their relationship has drawn much more media attention to the lawsuit.

According to Online radaran insider said Rihanna and Rocky have “started fighting all the time because he just has no patience for anything.”

The source also said that Rocky's mood has turned terrible, adding that the couple's sex life has taken a turn for the worse since his legal troubles.

The insider claimed: “Before this mess with the trial, they could hardly keep themselves from each other, but their sex lives are non-existent these days. They're both too stressed.”

According to an insider, Rihanna feared becoming a single mother if Rocky was convicted and had to serve a long prison sentence. Consequently, the prospect of this happening “totally freaked him out”.