LA jury Convicts Tory Lanez of Shooting Megan Thee Stallion – A Los Angeles jury convicted rapper Tory Lanez guilty of three felonies in the 2020 shooting of hip-hop singer Megan Thee Stallion in a courtroom that descended into chaos following a trial rife with tension on Friday. The assault left her with bullet fragments in her feet, and Lanez’s conviction may land him in prison for over twenty years. As the verdict was read, Lanez, who was placed in handcuffs and transported to jail while wearing a powder pink coat and matching pants, displayed no evident reaction.
But moments later, after the jury was escorted out, his father, Sonstar Peterson, leapt up and shouted “This wicked system stands judged before God almighty!” as deputies closed in on him. Peterson then pointed to the two prosecutors and yelled “You two are evil, wicked people. You know exactly what you did.” The deputies struggled to remove him from the courthouse, where he was shouting in the hallway. The seven women and five men on the panel deliberated since Thursday before convicting Daystar Peterson, a 30-year-old Canadian rapper, of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and firing a firearm with gross negligence.
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The jury also decided that the attack involved aggravating circumstances, meaning that Lanez may be sentenced to up to 22 years in jail and deported on January 25. Three young children, including Lanez’ son, sat in the front row of the courtroom while the verdict was read. A young girl cried and was hugged by Lanez’s stepmother, who was also tearful before she began shouting along with her husband. Others in the audience shouted agreement, and one woman shouted “we love you Tory” as he was led away. Supporters of Megan and Lanez gathered outside the courthouse for most of the eight-day trial and crowded the courtroom and the hallway.
The scene was occasionally tense, but largely tranquil until the verdict was announced. Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, testified during the trial that in the summer of 2020 in the Hollywood Hills, Lanez shot a handgun at the back of her feet and yelled for her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been travelling. She stated that the two had gotten into a heated argument when she began insulting his music.
She needed surgery to remove fragments of bullet from her feet. Her attorney, Alex Spiro, stated after the verdict that “the jury got it right” and that he was “thankful there is justice for Meg.” Lanez’ lawyer George Mgdesyan said they were “shocked by the verdict.” “There was not sufficient evidence to convict Mr. Peterson,” Mgdesyan said in a statement. “We believe this case was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We will be exploring all options including an appeal.” The shooting set off a storm of cultural issues and arguments that peaked during the trial, including the reluctance of Black victims to speak to police, the protection of Black women, gender politics in hip-hop, and online toxicity.
In their closing arguments, the prosecution underlined the courage it took for Megan to come forward and the hostility she endured as a result. According to them, she had no reason to tell anything but the truth. District Attorney George Gascón complimented her after the verdict. “You showed incredible courage and vulnerability with your testimony despite repeated and grotesque attacks that you did not deserve,” Gascón said in a statement. “You faced unjust and despicable scrutiny that no woman should ever face.” Lanez’ lawyer alleged in his closing argument that the shots were actually fired by Megan’s then-best friend Kelsey Harris in a jealous fight over Lanez, who tried to stop the shooting.
The attorney, George Mgdesyan, said that Megan created a more sympathetic story by blaming Lanez for the shooting. “Megan Pete is a liar. She lied about everything in this case from the beginning,” Mgdesyan said. “She lied under oath here.” Harris denied being the shooter and previously identified Lanez as the one holding the gun. Her attorney, in an email, declined to comment on her involvement.
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In 2009, Lanez began releasing mixtapes and experienced a steady climb in prominence before releasing major-label albums. His past two albums reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. Megan Thee Stallion was already a great emerging star at the time of the incident, and her popularity has only increased since then. She won the Grammy for best new artist in 2021 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the songs “Savage” featuring Beyoncé and “WAP” featuring Cardi B.
