Rihanna‘s beau, rapper A$AP Rocky, was declared not guilty on all counts on Tuesday by jurors in his felony criminal trial in downtown Los Angeles.
The three-time Grammy nominee, 36, was charged with a pair of felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in the November 6, 2021 shooting in Hollywood, California of his one-time friend, A$AP Relli.
The Take A Bow songstress erupted in tears as the verdict was read, as her partner faced up to 24 years in prison if convicted in the case, and he ran over and hugged her.
‘Thanks y´all for saving my life,’ A$AP Rocky told the jury, composed of seven women and five men, as he left the courtroom, according to the AP.
Rihanna took to Instagram Stories Tuesday evening with an uplifting message after the verdict Tuesday.
‘THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE!’ the We Found Love artist said. ‘THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!’
The Take A Bow songstress erupted in tears as the verdict was read, as her partner faced up to 24 years in prison if convicted in the case
Rihanna’s beau, rapper A$AP Rocky, was declared not guilty on all counts on Tuesday by jurors in his felony criminal trial in downtown Los Angeles. The star couple pictured Tuesday at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles
The musical artist, whose full name is Rakim Mayers, was emotional as he embraced his lawyers after the verdict was read.
The jury reached a unanimous decision after deliberating for about three hours following the conclusion of closing arguments in the case last week.
The Harlem, New York-born entertainer, before going into the trial, had declined an offer from prosecutors of a six-month jail sentence and probation.
Under that offer, A$AP Rocky would have had to plead guilty to one count in the case, the AP reported.
A$AP Rocky celebrated the verdict with his partner and legal team in the courtroom and after they left the building.
Prosecutors in the case said A$AP Rocky, whose hits include Wild for the Night, Everyday and Praise the Lord (Da Shine), shot twice at his former pal A$AP Relli.
A$AP Relli – who had been associated with A$AP Rocky dating back to high school as part of the musical ensemble A$AP Mob – testified in the case that he was unharmed in the shooting, aside from a bullet grazing his knuckle. He was slammed by Tacopina in closing arguments as ‘an angry pathological liar’ who ‘committed perjury again and again and again and again’ during the trial.
A$AP Rocky’s legal team said that the shots the rapper fired were actually blanks from a prop gun he obtained from the set of a music video he was working on, the AP reported.
Rihanna was emotional after the verdict was read in the felony assault trial
A$AP Rocky celebrated the verdict with his legal team in the courtroom, hugging his lawyer Joe Tacopina in this shot
The Harlem, New York-born entertainer, before going into the trial, had declined an offer from prosecutors of a six-month jail sentence and probation
The jury was instructed by the court that under the law, A$AP Rocky could not be found guilty, if they found him to be defending himself in the incident.
Rihanna had drawn attention during her outings to the court to support her boyfriend, who she shares two children with: RZA, two, and Riot Rose, one.
In multiple outings, the What’s My Name? singer was seated between A$AP Rocky’s mother Renee Black and sister Erika B. Mayers.
The Diamonds artist had brought their young children to the court for closing arguments in the felony case.
The fashion mogul, who founded the company Fenty Beauty, was mentioned multiple times as attorneys conducted jury selection, amid speculation how her larger-than-life presence could sway jurors.
Following the verdict, jurors were led out of the courtroom and didn’t talk to the media as they departed, the AP reported.
It was not immediately clear what specifically compelled them to find him not guilty – be it the presence of the prop gun or his claims of acting in self-defense.
A$AP Rocky’s attorney Joe Tacopina said jurors ‘saw through this mirage of a case’ in their swift verdict.
The SOS songstress took to Instagram Stories with an uplifting message after the verdict Tuesday
The fashion mogul, who founded the company Fenty Beauty, was mentioned multiple times as attorneys conducted jury selection, amid speculation how her larger-than-life presence could sway jurors
Rihanna held her partner by the arm outside of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center after the verdict was delivered
The Barbados-born superstar songstress and fashion mogul had drawn attention during her outings to the court to support her boyfriend, who she shares two children with: RZA, two, and Riot Rose, one
The attorney noted that the rapper ‘turned down a plea for almost no jail time because he was innocent.’
Deputy District Attorney John Lewin told jurors in closing arguments to disregard the presence of Rihanna amid the trial.
Lewin adding that he believed that the SOS songstress brought their children to the legal proceedings to sway the jury toward a not guilty verdict.
‘You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids,’ Lewin told jurors. ‘We are all responsible for our own actions in the world.’
After the verdict, Tacopina said outside the courthouse that ‘Rocky did not want her here, I will tell you that.’
Lewin told jurors, ‘You are not allowed to consider how this might affect Rihanna and his kids – we are all responsible for our own actions in the world.’
Defense lawyer Tacopina pushed back on the assertion, saying A$AP Rocky ‘did not want her here’ there in the first place.
A$AP Rocky ‘wanted to shield [Rihanna] from’ the emotionally-draining court proceedings, Tacopina said, quoting the Rolling Stones in adding that ‘wild horses couldn´t keep her away.’
The rapper’s relief was visible as he spoke with media after the case concluded
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman’s released a statement on Instagram after A$AP Rocky was cleared in the case
A$AP Relli – who had been associated with A$AP Rocky dating back to high school as part of the musical ensemble A$AP Mob – testified in the case that he was unharmed in the shooting, aside from a bullet grazing his knuckle. Pictured January 29 testifying in the case
A$AP Rocky had been more than a half-hour late in arriving for the verdict reading – and ‘looked shaken and tense as he waited for it,’ the AP reported.
His lawyer Tacopina said that ‘there was a moment when before we heard the words from the clerk, he didn´t know if he was going to be spending the next two decades in jail or going home.’
Tacopina said A$AP Rocky’s physical reaction to the verdict – leaping in celebration toward Rihanna after hearing he was legally cleared – was ‘insane’ in a wonderful way.
‘I didn´t know how athletic he was,’ Tacopina said. ‘That was raw emotion, you guys got to see that. Even for us it was insane.’
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman’s office released a statement on Instagram after A$AP Rocky was cleared in the case.
‘While today’s verdict is not the outcome we sought, we respect the jury’s decision and the integrity of our justice system,’ Hochman said. ‘Our office remains committed to seeking accountability for those who break the law, no matter their status or influence.
Hochman said that Hollywood celebrities should not expect special treatment if they break the law.
‘Fame does not place anyone above the law, and we will not waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the community,’ Hochman said.
A$AP Rocky has a busy slate professionally following the conclusion of the case
Next month, he will be at the Rolling Loud music festival in Los Angeles, as he’s one of the principle headliners along with Playboi Carti and Peso Pluma
Hochman wrapped up in saying, ‘Our mission remains clear: to uphold the law, protect public safety, and ensure justice for all.’
A$AP Rocky, whose recent singles include Highjack, Tailor Swif and Ruby Rosary, has a busy slate professionally following the conclusion of the case.
Next month, he will be at the Rolling Loud music festival in Los Angeles, as he’s one of the principle headliners along with Playboi Carti and Peso Pluma.
This May, he’s slated to be a celebrity co-chair at the Met Gala, where Rihanna has made for multiple memorable moments in the past.
He also appears this summer in the upcoming Spike Lee motion picture Highest 2 Lowest, along with an impressive cast headlined by Denzel Washington and featuring Jeffrey Wright, Dean Winters and Ice Spice.
A user used a Rugrats GIF to compare to Rihanna’s spirited reaction to the good news, saying, ‘rihanna screaming in the background’ with a trio of laughing emojis
A$AP Rocky’s acquittal also landed on the radar of Kanye West, who retweeted a news story about the case
The consensus among social media users after the verdict was that Tuesday’s win was another in a long string of victories A$AP Rocky has piled up both personally and professionally.
‘Oh wow, look at me, I’m ASAP Rocky—I’m a successful rapper, I dress like I was born in a Vogue cover shoot, I’m literally in a long-term relationship with Rihanna herself, we have two beautiful kids, and I just beat a case,’ said one user. ‘Okay, we get it. Leave some W’s for the rest of us, smh.’
Others praised the calculated risk that paid off by refusing the plea deal.
Said one user: ‘All the Twitter attorneys in shambles. “Why he ain’t just take the 6 months” heada**.’
Another added, ‘Congrats to A$AP Rocky! He took a gamble not accepting that plea deal. Now Rihanna & Rocky can have another baby lol.’
Others agreed, with one user noting: ‘Oh she def getting pregnant ���� Love it for them. My girls been through a lot.’
Another user used a Rugrats GIF to compare to Rihanna’s spirited reaction to the good news, saying, ‘rihanna screaming in the background’ with a trio of laughing emojis.
A$AP ‘Rocky ‘turned into Superman after hearing that verdict,’ another joked.
A user praised the stellar handling of the case from Tacopina and his team, saying that A$AP Rocky ‘probably had some of the best lawyers money could buy.’