The court case that involved rapper Rakim Mayers, better known as ASAP Rocky, revolved around two felony charges of assault connected to a 2021 incident that took place in Los Angeles. The moment the jury reached a not guilty verdict, ASAP Rocky jumped into the courtroom gallery and embraced his partner, Rihanna.
She was present during the announcement, and the artist quickly moved to hug her in relief and joy. “We, the jury in the above entitled action, find the defendant, Rakim Mayers, not guilty of the crime,” the foreperson declared.
Responding to the verdict, ASAP Rocky expressed his gratitude by saying, “We want to thank God first, gotta thank God first, you know what I’m saying? I really want to thank the jury for making the right decision, you know? We blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking you all. Thank you, all praise to God.”
Background of the Charges
ASAP Rocky, who is 36 years old, had been on trial after being accused of shooting Terell Ephron, known in the music group ASAP Mob as ASAP Relli. The accusations stemmed from a disagreement near a Hollywood hotel in 2021.
The jury deliberated for close to three hours before deciding that the evidence did not prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The artist was embraced by family members, including Rihanna, who is the mother of his two children, right after the verdict was read.
His legal representative, Joe Tacopina, was also among those he hugged in the courtroom. While speaking to jurors, he told them, “Thank y’all for saving my life.”
Weapon at the Center of the Trial
The central issue during the trial was the nature of the firearm said to have been used. Prosecutors argued that it was a semiautomatic gun, while the defense brought in witnesses who testified it was merely a prop from a music video shoot.
Interestingly, the actual weapon was never shown in court, and ASAP Rocky chose not to testify. If the charges had led to a conviction, he could have faced up to 24 years in prison. At the same time this legal process was going on, ASAP Rocky had multiple projects pending.
He had been listed as a headliner for the Los Angeles edition of the Rolling Loud festival scheduled for March. He had also been selected as a co-chair for the Met Gala happening in May, and was set to appear in a Spike Lee film alongside Denzel Washington, with the release planned for summer.
Rihanna’s Presence and the Courtroom Dynamics
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John Lewin urged jurors not to let Rihanna’s attendance influence their decision. She had been consistently present during the trial’s 13 days and even brought their children to the courtroom during closing arguments.
According to Tacopina, ASAP Rocky actually did not want Rihanna in court. He tried to protect her from the stress of the legal situation. However, she insisted on supporting him throughout. “He wanted to shield her from this. Wild horses couldn’t keep her away,” Tacopina said.
The Breakdown Between Former Friends
This trial highlighted the fallout between two artists who were once high school friends and collaborators in the ASAP Mob group. Relli and Rocky agreed to meet on November 6, 2021, in a bid to resolve their personal problems. That meeting, according to Relli’s testimony, ended in confrontation.
Relli said Rocky came to the meeting with two other members of the group: ASAP Twelvyy and ASAP Illz. He explained that a short argument occurred before they parted ways, only for the confrontation to resume minutes later.
During this second interaction, Rocky reportedly pulled a gun from his waistband. Relli claimed that as he tried to shield himself behind Illz, Rocky fired and the bullet grazed his right hand. Video evidence was submitted in court showing Rocky holding a weapon during the altercation.
Relli described the moment as surreal. “The whole thing was like a movie, he kind of like pointed down and he shot the first shot,” he testified.
What Witnesses Said About the Gun
Defense witnesses, including Twelvyy, stated that the weapon was not real. According to them, it was a prop that Rocky began carrying on the advice of a security adviser. They also argued that Relli was aware it was fake. The defense maintained that Rocky acted to protect Illz, believing Relli might physically attack him.
They also accused Relli of exaggerating the entire event in an effort to win damages in a civil lawsuit. Relli had testified for several days, and his session under cross-examination turned heated. Tacopina questioned him over several matters, including his Instagram account.
Relli said he received threats online after going public with his accusations. At one point during the trial, Judge Mark S. Arnold had to intervene when Relli became visibly agitated.
The judge told him to calm down and drink water. “I’m not on trial,” Relli responded. “I’ve been here for five days, dealing with this man. I’ve been looking stupid for five days.”
Final Arguments and Jury’s Decision
In his closing statement, Tacopina described Relli as dishonest. He referred to him as “a perjury machine” and said the injury on his hand was just a scrape, which might have happened during a fall or fight.
Thomas Zizzo, a sergeant with the Los Angeles police and the son of a cast member from “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” was among the first to arrive at the scene. He told the court that it was not immediately clear whether any crime had occurred.
Although the police could not locate a firearm or clear evidence of shots being fired, Relli told the jury he went back to the scene later and picked up two used 9mm casings. Legal experts like Sam Bassett believe the defense was able to gain ground because of the lack of a physical weapon.
Legal Disputes Beyond Criminal Court
Aside from the criminal case, Relli had filed a civil lawsuit against Rocky. He was seeking monetary compensation for the injury and also filed a defamation claim against both Rocky and Tacopina. These legal moves may now be affected by the jury’s verdict.
Tacopina spoke about the pending civil lawsuits after the verdict. “He sued us and after today, I don’t think that’s going so well,” he said.
