A$AP Rocky Acquitted of Assault Charges, Embraces Rihanna after Not Guilty Verdict

Hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky was found not guilty of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, stemming from a 2021 shooting incident involving a former friend. The verdict, delivered by a Los Angeles jury, spared the 36-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, a potential prison sentence of up to 24 years.

As the clerk read the verdict, Rocky leapt from the defense table into the gallery, where his longtime partner, singer Rihanna, sat between his mother and sister. The courtroom, filled with fans of the couple, erupted in cheers as the two embraced and sobbed. “Thank y’all for saving my life,” Rocky told the jurors as they exited the courtroom.

The trial, which lasted over two weeks, centered on an altercation outside a Hollywood hotel on November 6, 2021, between Rocky and his former friend, Terell Ephron, known professionally as A$AP Relli. Relli testified that Rocky fired two shots at him during the scuffle, grazing his knuckles. However, Rocky’s defense team argued that the rapper had used a prop gun that only fired blanks, which he had taken from a music video set for security purposes.

Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, who has also represented former President Donald Trump, painted Relli as a “jealous opportunist” motivated by financial gain. Tacopina presented text messages and phone calls in which Relli allegedly expressed his intent to “take Rocky for millions.” Relli denied the authenticity of the calls, but prosecutors played excerpts during closing arguments.

The defense maintained that Rocky fired the prop gun as a warning to stop Relli from attacking another member of their hip-hop collective, the A$AP Mob. Fellow crew member A$AP Twelvyy testified that Rocky had been carrying the starter pistol for months and that everyone involved knew it was fake. No gun or ammunition was recovered from the scene, though Relli turned over shell casings he claimed to have found after the incident.

The jury deliberated for just three hours before reaching their verdict. Prosecutors had argued that Rocky’s celebrity status should not shield him from accountability, while the defense emphasized that Rocky had acted in self-defense. “They saw through this mirage of a case,” Tacopina said after the verdict. “He turned down a plea for almost no jail time because he was innocent.”

Rihanna, who attended parts of the trial with the couple’s two young sons, RZA and Riot, celebrated the verdict on Instagram Stories, writing, “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy!” She was also seen hugging Rocky’s defense team after the verdict was announced.

The case had loomed over Rocky for more than three years, but the acquittal allows him to move forward with a banner year. The three-time Grammy nominee is set to headline the Rolling Loud music festival in March, co-chair the Met Gala in May, and star alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s upcoming film, *Highest 2 Lowest*.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman acknowledged the verdict in a statement, saying, “While it was not the outcome we were hoping for, we respect the jury’s decision and the integrity of our justice system.” He added, “Fame does not place anyone above the law, and we will not waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the community.”

For Rocky, the verdict marked the end of a grueling legal battle. “This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years,” he said outside the courthouse. “I’m thankful and it’s blessed to be here right now to be a free man talking to y’all.”