A$AP Rocky’s lawyer is confident his client will be acquitted in a felony assault trial in California. Joseph Tacopina is representing Rocky in a trial that begins today (Jan. 21) in a Los Angeles courtroom. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
Rocky, 36, is accused of firing a gun at his former friend, retired rapper A$AP Relli (real name Terell Ephron), during a street fight in Hollywood in 2021.
During a preliminary hearing in 2023, the prosecution presented video footage that shows Rocky and Ephron in a heated confrontation outside a parking garage.
Rocky is seen holding an object that looks like a gun. The rapper is alleged to have fired the gun at Ephron, who was not hit.
In January 2024, Rocky pleaded not guilty to felonious assault with a semiautomatic weapon.
Tacopina insists that Rocky is “confident” in his chances for an acquittal.
“He believes in justice, and he believes this is going to work out for him,” Tacopina said. “The case against Rocky is fundamentally weak. It relies on testimony from people who are not credible. I believe the defense is very, very strong.”
A$AP Rocky, a father of two toddlers with Rihanna, requested a delay to the start of the trial in 2024. The delay allowed him to support his family by headlining the Rolling Loud music festival in Thailand in November.
Last week, Tacopina attended a pre-trial hearing where he clarified Rocky’s relationship with the global superstar singer. Tacopina said Rihanna is Rocky’s “common law wife.” But the judge agreed with the prosecution’s assertion that they do not have a marriage certificate on file in the United States. Therefore, the judge said, Rihanna is Rocky’s “significant other.”
However, Rihanna and Rocky are legally married in her native Barbados, according to insiders.
Rocky was seen stepping out for a dinner meeting at ALBA in NYC on Friday.
Rihanna and Rocky live part-time in NYC with their two boys, RZA, 2, and Riot Rose, born Aug. 2023.
Rihanna is packing on the pounds while reportedly pregnant with her third child at age 36. The pop singer dressed casual during a solo outing in New York City. She made a low-key stop at Target to buy essentials before heading to a Manhattan recording studio for the second night in a row. The mom-of-2 wore an all-black sweatsuit, sleek black-framed glasses, and chic cornrows. She completed her look with a classic Louis Vuitton purse and UGG house slippers.
On Saturday, she was spotted making her way to the studio on 21st and Broadway. She was dressed in her favorite hobo chic style.
Dressing like a stylish homeless person is the trend in New York City. The “We Found Love” singer wore an oversized, hooded fur-trimmed coat over a track jacket and grey cargo pants. She accessorized with blue Puma sneakers from her own sneaker line and a classic monogram Louis Vuitton handbag.
