A$AP Rocky addressed the courtroom for the first time in 2025 while rejecting a plea deal offer in his gun assault case.
A$AP Rocky won’t be accepting a plea deal offer in his ongoing gun assault trial.
On Tuesday(January 21), the DON’T BE DUMB lyricist appeared in a Los Angeles court for the the first day of his gun assault trial in connection to the alleged November 2021 Hollywood shooting incident involving Rocky and A$AP Relli.
According to a tweet from Rolling Stone reporter Nancy Dillon, prosecutors offered Rocky three years of probation along with a seven-year suspended prison sentence. Rocky would’ve only served 180 days in county jail if he pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
“I respectfully decline, thank you,” Rocky reportedly said.
A$AP Rocky rejects plea deal offer at start of firearm assault trial in Los Angeles
Prosecutors said if he pleaded to Count 1, they would ask for 3 years probation, 7-year suspended prison sentence, 180 days in county jail
“I respectfully decline, thank you,” Rocky said
— Nancy Dillon (@Nancy__Dillon) January 21, 2025
A$AP Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina put elements of his client’s defense on the record revealing their strategy to some degree for the first time. In addition to confirming he’ll call two witnesses, Tacopina also uncovered the angle their defense is leaning on when it comes to the footage of Rocky with a firearm. Tacopina asserts the two witnesses will detail their knowledge that the weapon Rocky was seen with in the video was a prop “starter gun” that he carries for protection.
It’s unclear if Rocky will be among the two witnesses Tacopina will call to the stand. But following a hearing in the case earlier this month, Tacopina told Rolling Stone his client was “eager” to have the chance to speak about the case.
“Well Nancy, I know you know that I have not and would never make a decision like that before trial, right, because it’s malpractice,” Tacopina said. “That being said, he’s [A$AP Rocky] eager to tell his story and would love the opportunity to do so.”
Tacopina continued, praising Rocky’s humanity and character in the process. “He’s very articulate and intelligent, he’s a good human being and that will come out if he testifies,” he said. “But that’s decision isn’t going to be made yet. And it depends on how the case goes.”
The hearing is still currently in the jury selection process. Video has circulated of Rocky leaving the courtroom for a lunch break on January 21 wearing a long black patent trench coat. Though his face is covered with a surgical mask, he did not utter a word during his exit from the building. See the clip in the post below.
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