On the inaugural day of A$AP Rocky’s trial, jurors were presented with surveillance footage that a prosecutor asserted demonstrates the rapper shooting at a former friend in 2021. The defense, however, portrayed the accuser as a jealous rival looking to profit, claiming he fabricated significant portions of the incident.
Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec opened the case with a clear and direct approach, primarily relying on video evidence and audio recordings from a 911 call. He stated, “This is not a complicated case,” emphasizing that the visual evidence would be pivotal to the prosecution.
Rocky’s defense attorney, Joe Tacopina, countered during his opening statement by asserting that the video footage lacks value without the accuser’s testimony—Terell Ephron, known as A$AP Relli. “This case hinges on his credibility,” Tacopina remarked, labeling Relli as “a perjurer and a criminal,” which led to objections from the prosecution. He maintained that the evidence presented does not substantiate any claims without Relli’s account.
The defense’s position further contended that the firearm in question was merely a starter pistol, designed to shoot only blanks, which they argued Relli was aware of, stating that Rocky carried it solely as a prop for protection.
The first video introduced by the prosecution showed a chaotic physical altercation involving two men outside a Hollywood parking garage on the night of November 6, 2021. One man, dressed in a black hoodie, brandished a weapon but did not discharge it. Przelomiec identified the man in the hoodie as the defendant, Rakim Mayers, Rocky’s legal name, asserting that the evidence remains unchallenged.
Facing two felony charges for assault with a semiautomatic firearm, which carry a potential sentence of up to 24 years in prison, Rocky has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented two additional videos that captured the moments following the initial conflict, which they claimed showed gunfire occurring about a block away. One video revealed a scuffle among four individuals, while the other captured the sound of gunshots.
Przelomiec also played a 911 call from shortly after the incident where a woman reported witnessing the altercation, describing four men involved in a fight. The prosecutor explained that these men were long-time friends and members of the A$AP Collective, formed around 2006.
Przelomiec stated that Relli, who expected to resolve any tensions during their meeting at the W Hotel, quickly found the encounter turning violent when Rocky drew a weapon. He noted that Relli didn’t perceive a real threat at that moment. Conversely, Tacopina claimed that Relli was unafraid, suggesting he knew the firearm was non-lethal.
Despite not sustaining serious injuries, Relli appeared with photographs of minor cuts on his knuckles, which the prosecution suggested might relate to the altercation, although they acknowledged the injuries were not central to the case. Tacopina dismissed the importance of Relli’s injuries, ridiculing them as trivial.
Tacopina argued that Relli had instigated both confrontations, suggesting Rocky fired blanks to protect a fellow A$AP Crew member from Relli’s aggression and claiming that this was the cause of Relli’s scraped knuckles. Adding to the evidence, Przelomiec presented text messages exchanged shortly after the incident, where Relli accused Rocky of attempted murder, to which Rocky responded with confusion about the allegations.
Additionally, Tacopina pointed out the lack of physical evidence at the scene, noting that police who searched found no shell casings, weapons, or suspects. Relli approached law enforcement two days later, providing shell casings he claimed to have found himself. Tacopina confidently stated that Relli’s narrative would unravel under scrutiny.
Relli has initiated a civil lawsuit in connection to the case, and Przelomiec revealed messages in which Relli expressed intentions to secure financial compensation from Rocky due to the incident. Tacopina asserted that Relli’s decision to report to police was motivated by the need to pursue a civil suit.
The courtroom atmosphere intensified as another prosecutor, John Lewin, frequently objected to Tacopina’s statements, claiming he was making impermissible arguments during the opening phase. Tensions escalated during a break as Lewin and Tacopina engaged in a heated exchange, disrupting the usual courtroom decorum, which required intervention from another defense attorney.
Rocky observed the proceedings from the courtroom, dressed in a gray suit, with family members present for support. His partner Rihanna, who shares two young sons with him, was notably absent and is expected to have minimal involvement in the trial.
In an interesting twist, the prosecution initially called police Sergeant Thomas Zizzo to testify. Zizzo, whose mother is notable from reality television, displayed body camera footage from the incident. His testimony contradicted the defense’s assertions, clarifying that officers thoroughly searched for evidence in the area following the reported shooting, stating, “We may have missed something.”
