On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, ASAP Rocky appeared at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles for his ongoing trial. The singer is currently on trial after he was charged with shooting his ex-friend ASAP Relli with a semi-automatic weapon in November 2021.
Although Rihanna, Rocky’s partner, has always maintained a neutral stance, her appearance in court appears to have changed the stance. Rihanna’s court appearance came a day after she and Rocky went on a date night together on January 28, 2025.
Earlier on January 21, 2024, Rocky rejected a plea deal and opted for a jury trial over admitting guilt to assault charges with a pistol. According to the plea deal offered by the prosecutors, the rapper was to plead guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic pistol.
The plea deal would have reduced his sentence to 180 days in prison and a seven-year suspended sentence with three years of probation. Following his not-guilty plea, Rocky could spend up to 24 years behind bars if convicted. After a trip to Barbados with Rihanna, Rocky was arrested in April 2022 in connection to the November 2021 incident.
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According to the LAPD, Relli had sustained minor injuries and sought medical attention after the rapper allegedly discharged a revolver. The rapper’s trial was rescheduled from October 2024 to January 2025 after a judge found enough evidence in November 2023.
What Is ASAP Rocky on Trial For?
On Friday, January 24, 2024, ASAP Rocky’s trial accusing him of felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm began. The trial began following the rapper’s refusal to enter a plea deal, which would have seen his sentence reduced to 180 days in jail.
On Saturday, November 6, 2021, Rocky and his former friend ASAP Relli met up in a parking garage across from the W Hotel. Relli said, “I had kind of an idea that he wanted to fight or something, just argue or something.” However, their meetup had gone as expected, resulting in a gunfight.
Speaking in his testimony on January 28 and 29, 2025, Relli recounted his encounter with Rocky. According to Relli, Rocky had drawn a gun on him during an altercation before proceeding to aim and shoot at him. Relli further claimed that following the gun discharge, his hand felt “hot,” only to realize that a bullet had grazed his left hand.
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In defense of Rocky is his attorney, Joe Tacopina, who claimed that the details of the encounter were much different from Relli’s. According to Tacopina, the alleged gun was a prop from a music video that was incapable of firing any live rounds. Tacopina further stated that Relli’s allegations had been motivated by jealousy and greed, claiming he fabricated parts of his claims for money.
According to the Los Angeles Times, on the first day of the trial, January 24, 2025, prosecutors played surveillance footage of the incident. According to the video, Rocky could be seen drawing a gun with a separate clip capturing the sound of a firing gun. However, neither the clip nor the full surveillance video directly captured the alleged shooting.
What Is ASAP Rocky’s Trial Date?
On Friday, January 24, 2025, ASAP Rocky’s trial began, with the prosecution and defense team presenting their opening statements. According to the prosecution, Relli arrived on the night of November 6, 2021, hoping to fix his relationship with Rocky.
However, the night did not go as planned, as Relli accused Rocky of assaulting him with a firearm. According to the prosecution, during a fight between the ex-friends, Rocky had fired at Relli but missed.
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According to Tacopina, Rocky’s attorney, the rapper had allegedly attended the meetup with a prop gun to frighten off any attackers. Tacopina further added that Rocky also possesses a California firearms license. He said, “For Relli, it was never about justice. It is about a man seeking a profit from a fabricated narrative. Rocky has nothing to hide here.”
The trial continued on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, with Rihanna making a court appearance on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Among the people who came to support Rocky were his mother and sister, who were seated beside Rihanna. If convicted, Rocky stands to face up to 24 years in prison.
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