ASAP Rocky Skips Status Hearing In His Assault Case With No Trial In Sight

BYGabriel Bras Nevares6.9K Views
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Bottega Veneta - Front Row - Milan Fashion Week - Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 24: A$AP Rocky attends the Bottega Veneta fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 on February 24, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
The New York rapper's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, had previously suggested that they will not seek a plea deal and will fight for a trial that's yet to come.

ASAP Rocky chose to skip out on his status hearing on Wednesday (March 6), for whatever reason, and there is still no trial on the horizon for this assault case. Moreover, for those unaware, group colleague ASAP Relli accused him of shooting at him multiple times, and hitting him once, during a November 2021 confrontation in Hollywood. Now, though, it seems like this case is very much in limbo, and according to reporter Meghann Cuniff, no trial date was set during this hearing. However, the court did schedule a pre-trial hearing for May 26, so we'll have to wait and see if someone budges before trial.

Furthermore, the last update we got on this case was ASAP Rocky's not guilty plea and his lawyer Joe Tacopina's assurance that they will prove his innocence. "We’re going to try the case in the courtroom,” he told reporters back in January of this year. “And when we do, facts will come out that show that he’s truly innocent. And that he’s a victim in this case." L.A. County attorneys on the prosecution's side had expressed to Judge Karla Kerlin that they weren't anticipating a plea deal to sidestep a full trial.

ASAP Rocky At A Previous Court Hearing

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 17: Rapper A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty to assault charges during his arraignment hearing at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on August 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. [Authorities charged] A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers with two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm stemming from a November 2021 incident in Hollywood. He remains free on $550,000 bond and is due back in court November 2. (Photo by Irfan Khan-Pool/Getty Images)

In addition, ASAP Rocky also has a highly anticipated album to make, but his family and this legal case have definitely become a lot to handle. Authorities arrested him over this incident in 2022 with two assault charges with a semi-automatic firearm. "Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood,” L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón remarked around this time. “My office conducted a thorough review of the evidence in this case. We determined that the addition of a special firearm allegation was warranted."

Meanwhile, after a $550,000 bond, the "Gangsta" rapper and his team hope that September will be the start of the end. "We hope to be on trial by September in this case," his lawyer shared. "I want to get this done and over with so he can start enjoying his family and move on." If convicted, Rakim Mayers could face up to nine years behind bars. For more news and the latest updates on A$AP Rocky and this A$AP Relli case, come back to HNHH.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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