A$AP Rocky's lawyers to cast accuser as money seeker in opening statements at trial
A$AP Rocky's lawyers to cast accuser as money seeker in opening statements at trial
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A$AP Rocky is the celebrity in the room, but A$AP Relli will star at his trial. The hip-hop star, fashion maven and actor, whose legal name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, is accused of firing a gun at his former friend Relli, born Terell Ephron, on whose testimony prosecutors are pinning their case.
Opening statements are set to begin Friday at the trial after a jury of seven women and five men was selected over the course of three days. Rocky is charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He took a major risk by turning down a prosecution plea deal offer of just six months in jail and instead choosing to go to trial. If convicted, he could be sentenced to a term of up to 24 years in prison.
The defense plans to paint Ephron as a money seeker and point out he has sued Rocky in civil court, seeking financial damages for the incident. “He’s the witness that this case will rise and fall on, for sure,” Rocky’s lead attorney Joe Tacopina said after a recent pretrial hearing. “Whether he’s a star is something that remains to be seen.”.
“There’s jealousy obviously, and he’s made that clear. He became a hater,” Tacopina said. “This is in large part about money, money, money.”. Rocky and Relli were part of a group of young creators in high school in New York who called themselves A$AP — for Always Strive and Prosper — and initially remained close as Rocky found wealth and fame through music. The relationship soured, coming to a head with the alleged shooting on Nov. 6, 2021, when Ephron says Rocky fired on him and grazed his knuckles.
