Jury selection for a trial involving A$AP Rocky will commence on Tuesday. The charges against him include allegedly shooting at a former friend, and he could face a lengthy prison term if found guilty.
The 36-year-old has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and his attorney has said he committed no crime.
The well-known hip-hop artist, fashion icon, and actor, who is in a longstanding relationship with Rihanna and shares two young sons with her, is currently under legal scrutiny. It remains uncertain whether Rihanna will make a courtroom appearance to show her support, with suggestions pointing towards it being unlikely.
A$AP Rocky, who received a Grammy nomination, holds a prominent position as one of the celebrity hosts for the Met Gala in May. Additionally, he is set to play a significant role in an upcoming film directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington.
But his life could be upended with a conviction that could lead to a sentence of up to 24 years if jurors find him guilty of shooting at his former firend in Hollywood in 2021.
Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold said he intends to seat a jury quickly, and is keeping strict limits on how long attorneys can question prospective jurors.
“I will let the jurors know that regardless of who a defendant is, whether they’re the richest person in the world or the poorest person, everybody is to be treated the same,” he said at a pretrial hearing.
Opening statements could come Wednesday. Arnold is allowing media cameras in court for the entire trial after a jury is selected.
In 2023, another judge ruled after a preliminary hearing that Rocky should stand trial for allegedly firing a gun at Terell Ephron, a childhood friend who testified that their relationship had soured and a feud came to a head on the night of Nov. 6, 2021. Ephron testified that bullets grazed his knuckles.
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