A$AP Rocky jumps over court barrier to hug Rihanna after not guilty verdict

Rapper A$AP Rocky was found not guilty in his LA shooting trial, as ITV News’ Mahatir Pasha reports

Rapper A$AP Rocky dived over a court barrier to hug Rihanna after a jury found him not guilty of firing a handgun at a former friend in Hollywood in 2021.

The Los Angeles jury deliberated for about three hours before clearing the hip-hop star of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on Tuesday.

The courtroom, which was full of the 36-year-old’s fans, erupted into screams of excitement after the verdict was read out.

Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, leapt from the defence table into the gallery, where Rihanna sat between his mother and sister.

He was facing a prison sentence of up to 24 years if found guilty.

“Thank y’all for saving my life,” he told the jurors as they left.

Rapper A$AP Rocky jumps into the court benches to hug partner Rihanna after not guilty verdict

It took the clerk a while to read the second not guilty verdict due to the chaos that erupted in the courtroom, though it was very unlikely the jury would split on the counts.

“Mr Mayers, you’re excused,” Judge Mark Arnold said.

On the eve of the trial, Rocky turned down a prosecution offer of just six months in jail, along with probation and other conditions, if he would plead guilty to one count.

“This whole experience has been crazy for the past 4 years. I’m thankful and it’s blessed to be here right now to be a free man talking to y’all,” Rocky said.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he respected the jury’s decision.

“Our office remains committed to seeking accountability for those who break the law, no matter their status or influence,” Hochman said in a statement.

“Fame does not place anyone above the law, and we will not waver in our pursuit of justice for victims and the community.”

Prosecutors and their witnesses said that he was beefing with a former friend, A$AP Relli, with whom he had been in a crew who called themselves the A$AP Mob since high school.

They said the two men met up in Hollywood in early November 2021, and after a scuffle Rocky pulled the gun and fired twice at Relli, who said one of the shots grazed his knuckle but was not seriously hurt.

Rocky’s lawyers and witnesses they called said Rocky had shot a prop gun that only fires blanks, which he had been carrying for security since taking it from a music video set months earlier.

They said he fired it as a warning because Relli was attacking another member of their crew.