A$AP Rocky Found Not Guilty In LA Firearm Assault Case

Rapper A$AP Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, has been acquitted of firing a gun at his former friend, Terell Ephron, during a 2021 altercation in Hollywood. A Los Angeles jury cleared him of two felony assault charges that could have led to a 24-year prison sentence.

Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, claimed Mayers shot at him on November 6, 2021, grazing his knuckles. However, Mayers denied the allegations, arguing the gun was a prop and accusing Ephron of seeking financial gain.

As the verdict was read, the courtroom erupted in cheers. Mayers, overcome with emotion, leaped over a barrier to embrace his family and longtime partner, Rihanna, who had attended the trial alongside their sons, RZA and Riot.

“Thank God for saving my life,” Mayers said, expressing gratitude to the jury.

Mayers and Ephron were childhood friends and members of the A$AP Mob collective, but their relationship soured as Mayers’ career flourished. The alleged shooting occurred a day after a dispute between the two.

The verdict marks the end of a high-profile legal battle that had captivated the music and entertainment world.

The altercation between A$AP Rocky and Terell Ephron escalated when Mayers allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at Ephron, saying, “I’ll kill you right now.”

Ephron testified that he dared the rapper to shoot, but Mayers instead walked away. As Ephron followed and continued shouting, prosecutors claimed Mayers turned back, drew the weapon again, and fired multiple shots—one allegedly grazing Ephron’s knuckles.

A major point of contention in the trial was whether the firearm was a real, lethal weapon, as Ephron and prosecutors claimed, or merely a prop gun, as the defense argued. The gun was never recovered.

Some parts of the altercation were caught on surveillance footage, with audio capturing gunfire, but there was no direct video evidence of the shooting itself. Ephron waited two days before reporting the incident and provided shell casings he said he collected from the scene. However, when police responded to reports of a shooting that night, no casings were found. Surveillance footage did not confirm Ephron’s account of returning to the scene to retrieve them.

Defense attorneys suggested that Ephron planted the casings to frame Mayers.

The trial saw heated moments, especially when Ephron—considered the prosecution’s star witness—clashed with defense attorney Joe Tacopina, calling him “annoying” in court, prompting a judge’s reprimand.

Another dramatic moment came when A$AP Twelvyy, a witness, was asked by prosecutors about a bed in Mayers’ home featuring the letters “AWGE.” Before he could answer, Mayers abruptly interrupted, shouting, “Don’t say!”—an outburst highly unusual in a criminal trial. Twelvyy ultimately refused to elaborate.

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Despite the prosecution’s claims, the jury found Mayers not guilty on both counts, leading to an emotional reaction in the courtroom.