Rapper A$AP Rocky will stand trial for allegedly shooting at a former pal outside a Hollywood hotel, a judge ruled Monday — as new video surfaced of him supposedly firing the weapon.
Rocky, a Harlem native whose real name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, showed little emotion in the courtroom as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar handed down the decision.
The 35-year-old “Praise the Lord” rapper, who is in a relationship and has two children with pop star Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He is accused of shooting at his former friend and collaborator Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, during a dispute on the night of Nov. 6, 2021.
One of the bullets grazed Ephron’s hand and left him with minor injuries.
A$AP Rocky showed little emotion Monday as a judge ruled he would go to trial over the 2021 Hollywood shootingvia REUTERS
The judge’s ruling seemed to be solidified Monday after newly surfaced footage from that night was played in court, backing up soundless and difficult-to-discern footage previously shown during a court hearing two weeks ago.
In the new footage taken from a security camera around the corner from the shooting, gunshots can be heard matching the timestamps from the previous video evidence, before a man identified as Rocky is rounding the corner from the crime scene at a run, according to Rolling Stone.
Footage taken shortly before the shooting appeared to showed the pair shoving each other, while Rocky allegedly concealed a handgun behind his back.
A witness looks at evidence during A$AP Rocky’s preliminary hearing.ALLISON DINNER/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Evidence is seen in the courtroom.ALLISON DINNER/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Judge Villar said “the totality of the video and testimony” from the preliminary hearing was enough to bring the charges to trial but noted that she had only been looking for probable cause and the actual trial would have a higher evidence standard.
Rocky is currently free on $550,000 bail. He faces up to nine years in prison if convicted.
Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, alleged Rocky shot at him during a dispute on the streets of Hollywood in 2021.AP
A$AP Rocky leaves the Los Angeles court Monday after a judge ruled he would be going to trial on his shooting charges.Meghann Cuniff / SplashNews.com
Earlier in Monday’s hearing, Relli testified how he and Rocky were friends as New York City high schoolers and fellow members of the A$AP rap collective.
Their friendship began to fall apart when Rocky found frame, he said, accusing the star of reneging on business promises and failing to help out friends when they needed it.
With Post wires
Source link: https://nypost.com/2023/11/20/news/aap-rocky-to-go-to-trial-for-allegedly-shooting-at-ex-pal-while-new-video-emerges/