A$AP Rocky ‘s accuser, former buddy and the important thing witness at his trial is about to take the stand Tuesday afternoon.
Rocky, the rapper and associate of Rihanna, has pleaded not responsible to 2 felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for allegedly firing on the buddy who goes by A$AP Relli.
Rocky, whose authorized title is Rakim Mayers, met Relli, born Terell Ephron, in highschool in New York when each had been a part of a crew of creators who known as themselves A$AP — which stands for At all times Attempt and Prosper.
They remained shut for years, as Rocky’s star rose. However their relationship soured, coming to a head on Nov. 6, 2021, when the 2 aired their grievances in a confrontation on the streets of Hollywood. Prosecutors say Rocky pulled out a handgun and fired two pictures at Relli, who says bullets grazed his knuckles.
The protection argues Relli was the aggressor, and Rocky fired a starter pistol to interrupt up a battle between him and one other member of their crew. They mentioned Rocky carried the pistol, which solely shoots blanks, for safety.
Earlier than the jury was introduced in, the protection revealed that they don’t have the pistol.
“Does the prop gun exist?” Decide Matthew Arnold requested.
“The prop gun did exist,” Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina mentioned. “It does not now. We don’t have it.”
Rocky’s legal professionals mentioned Relli, who has additionally filed a civil lawsuit, is pushed by “ jealousy, lies and greed ” and fabricated giant components of the story to get cash.
Earlier Tuesday, the protection cross-examined a police officer who responded to studies of a capturing in regards to the absence of proof on the scene.
“There was no signal of a capturing?” Tacopina requested.
“No,” mentioned Sgt. Thomas Zizzo.
“No blood?”
“No.”
“No bullet holes?”
“No.”
No shell casings?
“No.”
“No physical evidence that a shooting happened at all?”
“No.”
Two days after the capturing, Relli himself introduced two shell casings to police that he mentioned he had discovered on the scene after the police had searched.
Video from Zizzo’s physique digital camera performed in court docket, displaying seven officers who searched the scene and located nothing.
In earlier testimony Friday, Zizzo mentioned that whereas police searched completely, “we may have missed something.”
The officer, who served within the Hollywood space, is the son of Erika Jayne, former star of “The Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills” and ex-wife of Tom Girardi, a disgraced and disbarred star lawyer who’s awaiting sentencing at his personal downtown LA trial.
Rocky sat within the courtroom subsequent to his legal professionals and watched stoically, carrying a tan sport coat with black slacks. His mom and sister sat in his part, as they’ve all through the trial.
Rihanna, his longtime associate and the mom of their two toddler sons, was not in court docket. Rocky’s legal professionals mentioned an look is unlikely however attainable.
