A$AP Rocky listens to closing arguments during his trial (Credit: AFP)

VIDEO: ASAP Rocky acquitted of assault charges

Published :

19-02-2025 14:11|

Last Updated :

19-02-2025 17:56|

A$AP Rocky, 36, joyfully embraced his partner, Rihanna, 36, on Tuesday after receiving a not-guilty verdict in his trial concerning two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

Following a three-week trial, the jury reached their decision in just three hours, clearing Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, of charges that could have resulted in over 20 years in prison.

“Thank y’all for saving my life,” the three-time Grammy nominee expressed to the jurors as they exited the courtroom.

Prior to the trial, Rocky declined a plea deal from the prosecution that would have required him to serve six months in jail, along with probation, in exchange for a guilty plea to one count. Standing firm in his assertion of innocence, he opted to take his chances with a jury, a decision that ultimately paid off as they found reasonable doubt regarding his guilt.

“This whole experience has been crazy for the past 4 years," Rocky remarked while leaving the court, surrounded by photographers, reporters, and fans. “I’m thankful and it’s blessed to be here right now to be a free man talking to y’all.”

The prosecution stemmed from an incident in November 2022 when Rocky was accused of shooting his former friend, Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli. Ephron testified that Rocky allegedly pulled a gun on him and fired shots that grazed his knuckles during a confrontation on Nov. 6, 2021.

During the first day of the hearing, Ephron recounted his long-standing friendship with Rocky, dating back to their time together in a collective of musicians and artists at their New York high school. He described how their relationship deteriorated, leading to the Hollywood standoff where he claimed Rocky first pointed a gun at him and then fired shots.

In his closing argument, Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, labeled Relli as “an angry pathological liar” who “committed perjury again and again.” The defense presented witnesses who testified that Rocky had fired a prop gun, which only shoots blanks, as a warning in response to Relli allegedly attacking another member of their crew.