LOS ANGELES — A$AP Rocky embraced Rihanna on Tuesday after a clerk announced the not guilty verdict in his trial concerning two felony assault charges involving a semiautomatic firearm.
The atmosphere in the Los Angeles courtroom was electric as fans of the hip-hop artist, alongside his globally recognized partner, erupted in joy when Rocky jumped from the defense table to the gallery, where Rihanna was seated with his mother and sister. The couple shared a heartfelt embrace, shedding tears of relief.
After a trial lasting three weeks, the jury took only three hours to deliver a verdict that liberated Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, from a potential prison sentence exceeding 20 years.
Expressing his gratitude to the jurors as they exited, he remarked, “Thank y’all for saving my life.” The clerk took some time to read the second not guilty verdict, though it was highly unlikely the jury would be divided on their decision.
“Mr. Mayers, you’re excused,” Judge Mark Arnold declared.
Prior to the trial, Rocky had rejected a prosecution deal that offered six months of jail time along with probation and other conditions if he pleaded guilty to one count. Standing firm in his assertion of innocence, Rocky opted to trust that a jury would agree with him, a gamble that ultimately paid off as the jurors found reasonable doubt regarding his guilt.
Rihanna was a sporadic presence throughout the trial but made sure to attend some of the closing arguments, even bringing along their two sons, RZA Athelston Mayers, 2, and Riot Rose Mayers, aged 1. The couple faced a throng of photographers, reporters, YouTubers, and well-wishers as they made their way to a waiting SUV following the verdict.
“This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years,” Rocky shared amid the commotion. “I’m thankful and blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking to you all.”
District Attorney Nathan Hochman acknowledged the jury’s decision, emphasizing that the office remains committed to holding individuals accountable for criminal activity, regardless of their fame or influence.
The verdict arrived during what could be considered a peak moment in Rocky’s career. With a jammed schedule ahead, including headlining the Rolling Loud music festival in March and being a co-chair at the Met Gala in May, he can now pursue these opportunities without the shadow of imprisonment hanging over him. He also stars alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s upcoming film “Highest 2 Lowest,” expected to release in the early summer.
During the trial, prosecutors claimed Rocky had a falling out with former friend A$AP Relli, who had been part of the A$AP Mob since their teenage years. On November 6, 2021, they alleged that after a confrontation in Hollywood, Rocky pulled a gun and discharged it twice at Relli, who stated that one bullet grazed his knuckle but did not cause serious injury.
Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, labeled Relli a “pathological liar” in his closing statement, asserting that he had repeatedly committed perjury. The defense argued that Rocky had fired a prop gun that only expelled blanks, which he had kept for security since its use in a prior music video. It was asserted that he discharged it as a warning during Relli’s aggressive confrontation toward another member of their crew.
The jurors were informed that if they believed Rocky acted out of a reasonable fear for his or his friends’ safety, then they could acquit him.
After concluding their deliberations, the jurors swiftly exited the courthouse without addressing reporters, leaving uncertainty about their reasoning for the verdict. However, they were not required to align on their analysis or justify their decision outside the jury room; they merely needed to agree on the outcome.
“They saw through this mirage of a case,” Tacopina expressed. “He turned down a plea deal for almost no jail time because he was innocent.”
In closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney John Lewin cautioned the jurors to disregard the celebrity status and familial implications linked to the case, suggesting that Rihanna’s presence with their children might attempt to sway their judgment.
“You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his children,” he insisted. “We are all accountable for our own actions.”
Following the verdict announcement, Tacopina noted that Rocky had preferred to shield Rihanna from this experience. “Wild horses couldn’t keep her away,” he stated.
Rocky arrived at the courtroom over 30 minutes late for the verdict reading and appeared visibly tense.
“In that moment before hearing the verdict, he didn’t know if he was facing two decades in prison or returning home,” Tacopina recalled.
What followed was an outpouring of emotion, culminating in Rocky’s leap into the crowd.
“I didn’t realize how athletic he was,” Tacopina commented. “That was raw emotion; what you all witnessed was incredible.”