LOS ANGELES — A significant gathering of nearly one hundred potential jurors assembled in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, gearing up for the trial of hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky, who faces charges for allegedly firing a weapon at a former associate.
The defense team for the celebrated musician and entrepreneur once again brought attention to the notably low representation of Black jurors in the selection pool. They indicated plans to appeal a judge’s dismissal of their request for a hearing concerning this issue.
Joe Tacopina, one of Rocky’s attorneys, expressed concern over the situation. “We’re quite disturbed by the lack of representation, especially considering we are in downtown Los Angeles, not some small town in Montana,” he remarked.
According to the defense perspective, the area from which potential jurors were drawn has a Black population of approximately 9%. However, they argue that less than 5% of those called for jury duty were Black, raising the possibility that no Black jurors may ultimately be seated.
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton expressed his concerns on the social platform X, criticizing the demographic imbalance of the juror pool. “It is utterly unacceptable that the jury might not be fair or representative, therefore denying A$AP Rocky a just trial,” he stated. He has been actively monitoring the trial and urged the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office to guarantee that A$AP Rocky receives equitable justice.
The judge declined to delay proceedings for the defense’s appeal, allowing the prosecution to continue their examination of potential jurors, with a particular focus on their views about law enforcement and celebrity culture.
During the initial round of questioning, Deputy District Attorney John Lewin inquired about the twelve individuals present in the jury box who identified as fans of Rihanna, Rocky’s long-term partner and mother to their two young sons. Out of those questioned, four acknowledged their support for the music star.
Lewin pressed on, asking jurors whether they were concerned that a guilty verdict on two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm—charges that could carry significant prison time—might influence Rihanna. One juror responded thoughtfully, “You put it in my head, and now I’m like, ‘Oh, it would affect her.’”
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, observed the proceedings from the defense table, dressed in a sleek black suit. While Rihanna was absent from the courtroom, his mother and sister were present in the gallery to support him.
Before the jury selection process commenced, Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold engaged Rocky in conversation about the women accompanying him, complimenting the youthful looks of his mother, Renee Black. “What were you, 7 when you had him?” the judge inquired, to which she humorously responded that she was 26 at the time.
The jury selection commenced on Tuesday after the 36-year-old rapper declined a plea deal that would have resulted in 180 days of incarceration along with a seven-year suspended sentence and three years of probation in exchange for pleading guilty to one of the charges.
As jury selection continues, all one hundred prospective jurors will remain available for questioning on Thursday. The trial will officially begin with opening statements once twelve jurors and four alternates have been selected.
Both sides have the opportunity to dismiss ten jurors without needing to provide a specific reason, aside from dismissals for cause. The defense has utilized four of its allotted challenges, while the prosecution has exercised just one, maintaining that they are satisfied with the current composition of the jury—though this stance could evolve.
“I am quite certain we will finalize a jury tomorrow,” Judge Arnold stated at the conclusion of Wednesday’s proceedings. “This isn’t a process that will drag out indefinitely.”
Originally projected to last three weeks, the trial may only span approximately two weeks according to recent updates regarding witness lists. A$AP Rocky, recognized as one of the celebrity chairs for the upcoming Met Gala in May, is also set to play a significant role in an upcoming Spike Lee film alongside Denzel Washington. However, his future remains uncertain pending the outcome of the charges alleging he fired a weapon at Terell Ephron, a childhood friend with whom he reportedly had a deteriorating relationship, culminating in a confrontation on November 6, 2021, where Ephron claimed he was grazed by bullets.
