A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in shooting of childhood friend
Rapper A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, pleaded not guilty to charges claiming that he shot at his childhood friend Terell Ephron during a November 2021 confrontation in Hollywood.
A$AP Rocky, the 35-year-old rapper, pleaded not guilty after a Los Angeles court determined there was sufficient evidence to bring charges against him for two felonies related to assault with a semiautomatic handgun in November 2021. September trial is something that A$AP Rocky’s lawyer hopes to see happen since the rapper will be “vindicated.”
“I want to get this done and over so he can start enjoying his family and move on,” said Tacopina. “We’re going to be quiet and we’re going to try this (case) in a courtroom and when we do, facts will come out that show that he’s truly innocent and he’s a victim in this case.”
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Following his return from a trip to Barbados with girlfriend Rihanna, A$AP Rocky was detained at the Los Angeles airport in April 2022. Following his detention, the rapper was taken into custody and charged with “assault with a deadly weapon” in relation to the shooting incident.
In November 2023, A$AP Relli, whose real name is Terell Ephron, testified that he and A$AP Rocky were buddies since their early years and that they were both a part of the same New York high school artistic group. According to Ephron, on November 6, 2021, Rocky allegedly pulled out a gun and threatened to kill him outside of a parking garage in Los Angeles.
Ephron saw someone in Rocky’s group hiding a pocket knife, so he followed. He said he felt that Rocky had become “big-headed” because of his popularity and that the rapper had “failed everybody,” which made people afraid to bring up the subject.
Ephron stated that he wanted A$AP Rocky to hear his side of the story. He said that during the altercation, Rocky pulled out a revolver at first, then fired rounds that gave Ephron minor cuts on his knuckles.
Two days later, Ephron called the police to report the occurrence. In spite of attempts to raise questions during the cross-examination, Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar determined that A$AP Rocky’s case could proceed since there is enough evidence.
In addition to the criminal proceedings, Rocky and his lawyer Tacopina are the targets of a civil defamation lawsuit. Ephron claims that they are using the media to paint him as a money-grabber and liar. Tacopina claims that Ephron harassed Rocky for money, calling it extortion.
A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in shooting of childhood friend
