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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A$AP Rocky might take the chance of taking the stand in his personal defence on Tuesday at his trial over two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
In dialogue with a Los Angeles choose on the final phases of Rocky’s trial, his lawyer Joe Tacopina stated that both his consumer would testify early Tuesday or the defence would relaxation its case. An lawyer for the prosecution stated his crew was going to spend the evening making ready for Rocky’s testimony.
He isn’t legally required to testify, and subjecting a defendant to a tough cross-examination is usually a significant gamble in felony instances.
Tacopina stated earlier than the trial that Rocky was “keen to inform his story. He would love the chance to take action.”
The attorneys couldn’t give remark exterior courtroom Monday as a result of a choose has forbidden them from chatting with the media. Rocky faces as much as 24 years in jail if convicted, after turning down a pre-trial plea deal that would have led to only 180 days in jail.
If Rocky testifies, he’ll most likely must face an extended and combative cross-examination from Deputy District Legal professional John Lewin. In his most well-known case, Lewin stored actual property inheritor Robert Durst on the stand for 9 days of relentless questioning earlier than he was convicted of homicide.
Rocky is a Grammy-nominated hip-hop star, trend mogul and the longtime companion of singing famous person Rihanna, with whom he has two toddler sons. She might seem Tuesday to observe his testimony.
She has proven up sporadically — most just lately on Friday, once they left the courthouse collectively for the primary time, strolling arm-in-arm.
Rocky, whose authorized title is Rakim Mayers, would doubtless testify {that a} gun he fired twice — in a scuffle with a former buddy on a Hollywood avenue nook in 2021 — was a starter pistol that solely fired blanks, and that he carried it for safety.
On Monday, his tour supervisor grew to become the second witness from Rocky’s internal circle to testify that he carried the phony gun.
Lou Levin stated he informed the rapper it made sense to hold it after Rocky’s home had been damaged into by a stalker and others.
“Safety and I believed it will be a good suggestion, due to the prior violence,” Levin stated. “It’s only a nonlethal type of self-defence.”
Levin stated he acquired the gun from a video shoot in the summertime of 2021, about three months earlier than the incident that led to the costs, and on the day itself.
He informed the jury that he returned the phony gun to the music video’s co-director, who now not had it when Levin requested about it after Rocky’s arrest. The defence stated it doesn’t have the starter pistol now.
Authorities additionally didn’t get better the pistol they allege Rocky used.
Levin testified that an ammunition journal present in Rocky’s home by officers serving a search warrant really belonged to him.
Lewin, the prosecutor, stated “you needed to give you a narrative” to elucidate the journal. He later referred to as each side of the story “a lie.”
“I didn’t must give you a narrative — it’s the reality,” Levin stated.
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