A$AP Rocky Rejects Plea Deal, Faces Trial in Hollywood Assault Case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rapper A$AP Rocky rejected a final plea deal from prosecutors that would have required him to serve 180 days in jail, opting instead to face trial on felony assault charges. Jury selection began Tuesday in a case that could result in a 24-year prison sentence if he is convicted.

The 36-year-old hip-hop star, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, is accused of firing a semiautomatic firearm at a former friend near a Hollywood hotel in November 2021. Prosecutors offered a deal that included a guilty plea to one felony count, a seven-year suspended sentence, three years of probation, and a six-month jail term. Mayers declined the offer in court, maintaining his not-guilty plea.

Mayers’ attorney, Joe Tacopina, revealed a new defense strategy in court Tuesday, stating that witnesses will testify the firearm seen in security footage was a “starter pistol” carried as a prop for security purposes. This detail had not been disclosed during pretrial hearings.

More than 100 prospective jurors packed the downtown Los Angeles courtroom as Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold emphasized the need for a swift jury selection process. Opening statements are expected to begin Wednesday or later, once a jury of 12 and alternates is seated.

Mayers, a Grammy-nominated artist, fashion mogul, and actor, is the longtime partner of singer Rihanna, with whom he shares two toddler sons. Rihanna did not attend Tuesday’s proceedings, and her presence during the trial remains uncertain. Mayers has been a prominent figure in entertainment, recently named a celebrity chair for the Met Gala and starring in an upcoming Spike Lee-directed film alongside Denzel Washington.

Judge Arnold addressed the jury pool, reminding them that Mayers’ celebrity status should not influence their judgment. “Mr. Mayers is an entertainer. His stage name is A$AP Rocky. His life partner is also an entertainer. Her name is Rihanna,” Arnold said. “Because Mr. Mayers is an entertainer, a celebrity, that cannot harm him, and it cannot benefit him.”

The trial stems from a 2021 incident involving Terell Ephron, a childhood friend of Mayers who testified during a preliminary hearing that their relationship had deteriorated. Ephron claimed bullets grazed his knuckles during the altercation. Another judge ruled in 2023 that Mayers should stand trial based on the evidence presented.

Media cameras will be allowed in the courtroom for the duration of the trial, ensuring widespread coverage of the high-profile case. The outcome could significantly impact Mayers’ career and personal life, as a conviction would result in a lengthy prison sentence.