LOS ANGELES — A jury composed of five men and seven women was officially formed on Thursday for the trial of A$AP Rocky, who faces charges related to a gun incident involving a former associate back in 2021.
Opening statements in the trial, which is taking place in Los Angeles, are scheduled to commence on Friday after the twelve jurors, along with four alternates, have taken their oaths. The 36-year-old rapper and fashion icon rejected a plea deal proposed by the prosecution that would have required him to serve 180 days in jail, instead opting to go to trial and face potential felony convictions that could result in up to 24 years behind bars. Rocky maintains his innocence, asserting through his attorney that no crime was committed.
The jury selection process took a total of two and a half days, during which more than a hundred candidates filled a courtroom in downtown Los Angeles. Among the jurors selected is a woman employed as a podcast editor and actress, as well as a man with over two decades of experience working at Trader Joe’s. The final alternate juror chosen was a retired judge.
Throughout the selection, many potential jurors were dismissed for various reasons, including those excused by either the defense or the prosecution, with each side allowed to dismiss ten prospective jurors without justification. The defense exercised seven of their challenges, while the prosecution used only two.
One of the potential jurors had a civilian position with the Los Angeles Police Department and mentioned close ties to law enforcement, including a cousin listed as a witness in the case. Even after the judge decided against dismissing him, Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, chose to excuse him from the jury, humorously stating, “Here’s a shocker, we’re going to thank and excuse juror number 27.”
Discussions surrounding police attitudes were a prevalent theme during jury selection. There were several tense moments when Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold, who has a background as a sheriff’s deputy, questioned individuals expressing skepticism towards law enforcement, engaging in nearly combative exchanges in some cases. He challenged one juror, a speech pathologist, by asking if he should hold negative views towards all speech pathologists because of a personal bad experience with one.
When another potential juror pointed out issues of police corruption, Judge Arnold pressed her to specify any documented instances of corruption at the LAPD. When she referenced the Rodney King incident, he countered, “You are going to hold against current police something that happened before they were born?”
Many inquiries centered around the celebrity status of both A$AP Rocky and his longtime partner, Rihanna, who is not present in court on this day and whose attendance during the trial remains uncertain. Deputy District Attorney John Lewin posed a question to one woman regarding how her judgment might be influenced should Rihanna appear in court, to which she hesitantly replied “yes” after a lengthy pause.
A$AP Rocky is alleged to have fired three or four shots at Terell Ephron, a friend from his youth, while on the streets of Hollywood in 2021. Ephron testified that the bullets grazed his knuckles. Rocky has entered a plea of not guilty, and his legal team argues that he wasn’t armed with a real gun during the incident, but rather a starter pistol used for theatrical purposes.
