A$AP Rocky Acquitted of Assault Charges, Shares Emotional Moment with Rihanna

Photo: Instagram

Hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky walked out of a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday as a free man after a jury found him not guilty of two serious assault charges. The charges were related to a 2021 incident involving a firearm. The jury took only three hours to decide the verdict, bringing an emotional end to a tense legal battle. As soon as the decision was announced, Rocky and his longtime partner, global superstar Rihanna, were overwhelmed with emotion.

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According to a report from the Associated Press, the courtroom erupted in cheers as the 35-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, jumped up from his seat and rushed to embrace Rihanna. She was sitting with his mother and sister, and they all hugged tightly, tears streaming down their faces. The emotional moment showed just how much this case had weighed on them.

A Risky Choice That Paid Off

Rocky had been given a chance to take a plea deal from prosecutors, which would have meant spending six months in jail along with probation. However, he refused, choosing instead to fight the case in court. This decision turned out to be the right one, as the jury ruled in his favor.

After the verdict was announced, Rocky turned to the jurors and said, "Thank y’all for saving my life." The courtroom was still filled with emotion as the second not-guilty verdict was read. Legal experts noted that it was unlikely the jury would have split their decision on the charges.

How the Case Started

The charges against Rocky came from a 2021 argument in Hollywood between him and his former friend, A$AP Relli, who is also a member of the A$AP Mob music collective. Prosecutors claimed that Rocky had pulled out a gun and fired two shots, with one bullet grazing Relli’s hand.

However, Rocky’s defense team had a different explanation. They argued that the weapon was a prop gun with blank bullets, which he had picked up from a music video shoot. His lawyers also said that Rocky had only fired warning shots because Relli was attacking another person in their group.

The jury was given two possible reasons to find Rocky not guilty. They could either believe that he was carrying a prop gun or that he acted in self-defense. In the end, they only had to agree on the final verdict, not the specific reason behind it.

Rihanna’s Support Throughout the Trial

Throughout the trial, Rihanna stood by Rocky’s side, showing her support. She attended the court hearings from time to time and even brought their two young children—2-year-old RZA and 1-year-old Riot Rose—for some of the final arguments.

After the verdict, Rihanna was visibly relieved and was seen hugging Rocky’s lawyers outside the courthouse. Her presence at the trial had become a topic of discussion. Prosecutor John Lewin even suggested that bringing their children to court was a strategy to influence the jury. However, Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, rejected this idea, saying, “Rocky did not want her here, I will tell you that... Wild horses couldn’t keep her away.”

With the case behind him, A$AP Rocky can now move forward with his career and family, leaving behind the uncertainty that had surrounded him for the past few years.

Feb. 19, 2025 4:12 p.m. 512

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