A$AP Rocky is not out of the courtroom yet. Following his acquittal on two criminal charges that could have landed him in prison for up to 24 years, he will now face a civil lawsuit regarding the same incident, according to a Rolling Stone report.
The criminal case stems from a fight in Los Angeles, California, between Rocky and his former friend Terell Ephron (A$AP Relli) in November 2021. Their relationship can be traced back to their involvement in a hip-hop group known as A$AP Mob, but they became distant as Rocky’s career took off.
Ephron, the principal witness for the prosecution, testified that Rocky fired gunshots at his hand during the fight.
According to AP News, “Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina called him ‘an angry pathological liar‘ who ‘committed perjury again and again and again and again.'”
Rocky chose not to testify as a witness and to reject a plea deal offered by the prosecution right before the trial with a significantly shorter prison sentence, according to the LA Times. Rocky’s legal team acknowledged the gunshots but invalidated the severity of Ephron’s claim through testimonies proving the gun was a fake Rocky had taken from a music video set.
The prosecution then countered this claim by arguing the unlikelihood of a successful star utilizing fake weapons over security guards and questioning why the “fake” gun was not preserved for evidence.
Throughout the month-long trial, the prosecution and defense teams exchanged heated words. Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold had to intervene numerous times between defense attorney Tacopina and prosecutor John Lewin.
Ultimately, the jury took three hours to render a “not guilty” verdict, after which an ecstatic Rocky celebrated with his team in the courtroom, most notably with his partner Rihanna.
“Thank y’all for saving my life,” said Rocky to the jury, according to the LA Times. “You’re making the right decision.”
The outcome of this case relieves Rocky of prison time, allowing the rapper to focus on upcoming career projects. However, he may be unable to put the situation behind him entirely.
Ephron responded to his unfavorable outcome by revisiting his civil lawsuit against Rocky, which was filed in August 2022 but put on hold. Despite the acquittal, Ephron sought to lift the hold, with a trial date set for early next year.
The Rolling Stone reported a comment from Ephron’s lawyer, Melissa Mikail, at a hearing for the civil case. She said, “The standard in a criminal case is much higher than the preponderance of the evidence standard in a civil matter. We still believe that our claims have merit, and we intend on fully litigating them.”
Ultimately, Rocky’s legal team appears unphased in reacting to this case. Although the evidence presented during the criminal trial shows that Ephron desired a payout from Rocky, his legal team said they had no interest in addressing the case with a financial settlement.