A Los Angeles judge rescheduled A$AP Rocky’s assault trial for January 21, 2025, at a pretrial hearing on Tuesday (October 22). The rapper’s trial was previously set to begin on November 12. His lawyer Joe Tacopina said the new start date was “final and definitive.”
Judge Mark Arnold delayed the trial partly due to A$AP Rocky performing at a gig in Thailand in late November. Tacopina also cited upcoming holidays and issues with discovery in the case as reasons for it getting pushed to 2025.
“Everyone just decided it’s best to do this in January,” Tacopina told reporters. “It’s a firm date. It’s a real date. He’s really eager to get this done, to get this behind him. So, [he] was not really looking to push this off that far, but it’s standard stuff that happens when you’re doing trials.”
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, faces trial for assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prosecutors accuse him of shooting his former friend A$AP Relli in 2021.
“I’m confident in knowing that he will be vindicated,” Tacopina said. “This has been a burden for him and his family … But he’s a terrific guy. He really is. And he’s handled this as well as any human being can handle it. And he’s ready. He’s ready to face this head on and we’re ready to face this head on. And he’ll be OK when this is all said and done.”
A$AP Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina says firearm assault trial pushed to Jan. 21 “in part” because Rocky due to perform at benefit concert in Bangkok in late Nov
“He will be vindicated,” Tacopina says. “This has been a burden for him & his family…He’s ready to face this head on” pic.twitter.com/Ql99qbsxv1
— Nancy Dillon (@Nancy__Dillon) October 22, 2024
Judge Arnold said Rihanna, the mother of Rocky’s two children, is welcome to attend the trial. Tacopina didn’t know if Rihanna planned to appear in court.
“That’s a family decision they have to make,” Tacopina said. “She obviously is a very well-known, very important person. She also has two young children that I think she wants to shield from all this.”
Rocky faces up to nine years in prison if convicted. He maintains innocence.
