By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-24 05:11:46 | Updated at 2025-01-24 08:26:52
3 hours ago
Potential jurors in the shooting case against A$AP Rocky have reportedly been asked questions gauging their knowledge and interest level in the rapper's longtime partner, Rihanna.
TMZ reports possible jurors have been quizzed about both Rihanna, 36, and A$AP, 36.
Rocky is standing trial on charges that he fired a gun at Terell Ephron, a former friend and collaborator, outside a Hollywood hotel in 2021. He has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Lawyers reportedly asked those summoned for jury duty if they had ever purchased products sold by Rihanna.
Rihanna — who has been dating A$AP, 36, since 2020 and shares sons RZA, two, and Riot, one, with him — sells a clothing and lingerie line called Savage x Fenty, as well as the cosmetics range Fenty Beauty.
Possible jurors were reportedly asked if they had ever purchased Rihanna's products and if they would be able to reach a fair and impartial verdict if the songstress was present in the courtroom.
Potential jurors in the gun-firing case against A$AP Rocky have reportedly been asked about the rapper's longtime partner, Rihanna; pictured December 2024
TMZ reports the possible jury pool was also asked if members had heard of A$AP or the Diamonds singer, listened to their songs or downloaded their music.
Later on Thursday, the trial took a step forward when a final jury was seated.
Notably, Rocky will be judged by a juror that includes no Black people — who make up nearly nine percent of the population of Los Angeles County — according to TMZ.
The twelve jurors are comprised of seven women and five men, and they are reportedly white, Asian and Hispanic.
Four alternate jurors, all women, were also selected in case any of the regular jurors are removed or have to step down, but none of them were Black either.
The trial is being overseen by Judge Mark Arnold, who is white.
That may not be great news for Rocky — real name: Rakim Athelaston Mayers — as a 2012 study conducted at Duke University found that a jury with at least one Black member tended to convicted Black defendants at similar rates to white defendants, whereas Black defendants were more likely to be convicted than white defendants when there were no Black jurors.
However, that study was conducted on only white or Black jurors, so the multiracial makeup of Rocky's jury may not be as influential.
Rihanna sells a line of clothing called Savage x Fenty as well as cosmetics under Fenty Beauty, and both were reportedly brought up during jury selection.
The Love On The Brain singer also has Fenty Beauty, her range of cosmetics; pictured 2017
Both the prosecution and the defendant's attorney had the option to toss out prospective jurors. In addition to dismissals for cause, each side can have 10 jurors dismissed without giving a reason. The defense has used four of its challenges. Prosecutors used just one. They said they are happy with the jury as currently composed.
However, attorneys for Rocky said they planned to appeal the judge's rejection of their request for a hearing on why less than five percent of the jury pool is Black, while the area they are drawn from is nearly 9 percent African American, which may have played a role in the final jury have no Black members.
'We´re troubled by that to say the least,' Tacopina said. 'We´re in downtown Los Angeles, not a small town in Montana.'
The Rev. Al Sharpton said on the social platform X that he has been following the proceedings and was critical of the racial makeup of the juror pool.
'It is absolutely ridiculous that the jury will be not fair and representative, so as to deprive A$AP Rocky of a fair trial,' the post said. 'I am monitoring this trial and challenging the Los Angeles District Attorney to ensure that fair and representative justice is afforded to A$AP Rocky.'
The judge declined to pause the trial for the appeal.
Rocky has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and he's facing up to 24 years in prison if convicted of both.
The charges arise from a November 2021 confrontation in Hollywood between Rocky and fellow rapper Terell Ephron, whose stage name is A$AP Relli. He was a member, with Rocky, in the ASAP Mob rap group that started in Harlem in 2006.
Possible jurors were reportedly asked if they believed they could reach a fair and impartial verdict in the case against A$AP if Rihanna was present in the courtroom; pictured October 2024
Rihanna promoting her Savage x Fenty line in an August Instagram post
Rocky was arrested in April 2022 at LAX airport as he stepped off a private plane from Barbados where he had been on vacation with Rihanna.
He has been free on bail of $550,000 since his arrest.
At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented surveillance camera footage and testimony from Ephron and cops to support their allegation that during the argument, Rocky pointed a handgun at Ephron, then fired it twice toward him injuring his hand.
Ephron himself testified that Rocky held the gun to his stomach and said 'I'll kill you right now,' before firing off rounds.
Rocky's lawyer Joe Tacopina has challenged the prosecution's case, saying there wasn't enough proof that a shooting had even happened and calling the surveillance video evidence and witness testimony 'inconclusive'.
Ephron has filed a separate civil assault and battery lawsuit against Rocky which is on hold pending the outcome of the criminal trial.
Earlier Tuesday, Rocky and his legal team had the chance to accept a plea deal in which he would plead guilty to one of the assault charges in exchange for a seven-year suspended sentence, 180 days in jail and three years probation.
The second felony charge would have also been dismissed.
She has been dating A$AP since 2020 and they share sons RZA, two, and Riot, one; pictured 2023
But Tacopina turned down the offer, telling LA Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold that the gun Rocky shot Ephron with was actually a 'prop gun' – a fake firearm used in movies.
It was the second time that Rocky's defense lawyers have blown off a prosecution plea deal.
After the first deal was presented last Wednesday, Tacopina told DailyMail.com: 'He did not commit a crime' and called the LA District Attorney's case against Rocky 'fundamentally weak.'
The judge previously said he expected a jury will be chosen at the trial of A$AP Rocky on Thursday, while lawyers for the hip-hop star are protesting the dearth of Black candidates for the panel.
Nearly one hundred potential jurors will pack into the Los Angeles courtroom for a third long day of questioning at the trial, where Rocky is accused of two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for allegedly firing on a former friend in Hollywood in 2021.
Opening statements will likely begin at the next session, now that all 12 jurors and the four alternates have been seated.
'I´m pretty sure we´re going to have a jury tomorrow,' Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold said at the end of court Wednesday, thanking the panelists for their patience. 'This is not going to go on forever.'
