GOSSIP & RUMORS: A$AP Rocky trial verdict: not guilty

A$AP Rocky was found not guilty on two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm following a nearly four-week trial in Los Angeles. 

The verdict was reached on Tuesday after the case was sent to the jury on Friday. They did not deliberate on Monday as it was President’s day.

The court erupted in cheers as the verdict on the first count was read out. The rapper celebrated by jumping up and down while hugging people inside the courtroom before saying, “Thank y’all for saving my life.”

Rocky, aka Rakim Mayers, was charged in 2022 following a 2021 fight with his former friend A$AP Relli, who testified that Rocky confronted him outside a Hollywood parking garage and shot him during the confrontation.

The pair were childhood friends.

Rocky faced up to 24 years in prison if convicted. He denied all the prosecutors’ allegations.

Outside the downtown LA courthouse Tuesday evening, Rocky’s attorney Joe Tacopina addressed a swarm of reporters and fans alongside the hip-hop star and his wife Rihanna.

“Bottom line is we’re grateful for the jury they saw through this barrage of a case,” Tacopina told the cameras. “We said from day 1, he was innocent. He turned down a plea for almost no jail time because he was innocent. And I’ve always said the extortion played out live, in color, in court.”

A$AP’s lawyer added, “What it says is that the district attyorney should look long and hard at prosecuting Terell Ephron,” referring to Rocky’s accuser, A$AP Relli.

“We’ve said that from day. They should do it now,” Tacopina continued. “They have him admitting to perjury. They have him committing extortion. This jury saw through it and came to an enormously quick and speedy verdict; the right verdict. And we thank this jury.”

Striking a personal note, Tacopina said, “For me, my partner, Chad [Seigel], we’re honored to have represented this amazing family back in. Rocky is one of my closest friends. But he’s also just a great, great person.”

Rocky then chimed in, jokingly referring to the attorney as “A$AP Joe,” eliciting a laugh from his counsel. 

“They are seriously the greatest people. And I said I love them and I really do love them. And I got emotional in my summation because I care about them,” Tacopina went on as a beaming Rihanna locked arms with Rocky.

“This is one of the happiest days of my life and I’m happy for them that they’ve earned this and deserve it.”

During closing arguments on Friday, the Tacopina told the jury that Relli “lied to you about so many crucial things.” The hearing heated up as he and the prosecution exchanged sharp remarks in the courtroom.

While on the witness stand, Relli told the jury that his knuckles were grazed by a bullet allegedly fired by Rocky; however, a weapon was never recovered by authorities, which became the focus point during the trial.

Authorities also found no physical evidence of a shooting when they searched the alleged scene either. However, days later, Relli reportedly presented shell casings to the police, which he alleged that he retrieved from the shooting scene.

Rocky’s legal team accused Relli of extortion and argued that the weapon he was holding during the altercation was a “prop gun” that he carried around for security.

Relli’s attorneys slammed the claim, arguing that the weapon was real.

In January, Rocky turned down a plea deal offered by prosecutors that included a 180-day jail term.

“Yes, he was offered a plea deal but is not interested because he is actually innocent,” his lawyer, Joe Tacopia, said at the time.

“True Crime News” host Ana Garcia exclusively told The Post that Rocky’s decision was a gamble.

“I think he’s got a strong case – I do believe that,” she said earlier this month. “I’m not so sure how strong the prosecution evidence is. And also, it’s always a gamble. You get a chance to defend yourself. You get a chance to go in front of a jury. You get a chance to let them decide your fate, and sometimes that’s really risky.”

Rihanna, who shares two children with Rocky, appeared in court to support him several times, even sitting with his mother and sister during her first appearance late last month.