A$AP Rocky’s Assault Trial Set to Begin in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The criminal trial of Grammy-nominated rapper A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, is set to begin next week in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Mayers faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm following an alleged altercation with former friend A$AP Relli, born Terell Ephron, in Hollywood three years ago.

Jury selection is scheduled to start Tuesday, with Judge Mark S. Arnold presiding. Mayers, 36, has pleaded not guilty and could face up to 24 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors plan to present new plea-deal offers before the trial, which is expected to last 15 days. However, Mayers’ defense attorney, Joseph Tacopina, stated his client has no interest in settling. “From our side, we have no interest in a settlement. My client has indicated he’s not willing to take anything,” Tacopina told the court.

The case stems from an incident on October 31, 2021, near the corner of Selma Avenue and Vista Del Mar Avenue in Hollywood. Prosecutors allege Mayers fired a weapon after confronting Ephron at a parking garage. Surveillance footage from the garage shows the two men in a physical struggle, while grainy video from a nearby building allegedly captures the moment Mayers discharged a firearm. However, no shell casings or weapons were recovered, and the video evidence has been described as inconclusive.

During a preliminary hearing in late 2023, LAPD Detective Frank Flores testified that the video does not definitively show a shooting. “Nothing clear that shows it,” Flores said. Despite this, Judge M.L. Villar ruled there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, citing Ephron’s testimony and the sound of gunfire in the video.

Ephron, who claims he was grazed by a bullet, testified that Mayers threatened him with a firearm and fired multiple shots. He also alleged that Mayers failed to fulfill a promise to pay for a friend’s funeral, leading to a heated text exchange days before the incident. Under cross-examination, Ephron admitted Mayers eventually covered the funeral costs.

Mayers’ defense team has called the case “fundamentally weak” and emphasized their client’s confidence in being acquitted. “He’s eager to tell his story. He would love the opportunity to do so,” Tacopina told Rolling Stone. “He’s a good human being, and that would come out if he testifies.”

The trial has drawn significant attention due to Mayers’ celebrity status and his relationship with singer Rihanna, the mother of his two children. Prosecutors have requested that Rihanna be referred to as Mayers’ “significant other” rather than his wife during the trial, a point Judge Arnold agreed to unless evidence of a legal marriage is presented.

In addition to the criminal trial, Mayers faces a civil lawsuit filed by Ephron alleging assault, battery, and emotional distress. Tacopina has accused Ephron of seeking financial gain, stating, “I think this is in large part about money, money, money.” Ephron’s legal team, including Camille Vasquez, who represented Johnny Depp in his defamation trial, has not commented on the case.

As the trial approaches, Mayers continues to balance his legal battles with a busy professional schedule, including upcoming performances and his acting debut in Spike Lee‘s remake of Akira Kurosawa‘s High and Low.