*Tory Lanez’s request for a new trial was denied on Tuesday by Los Angeles Judge David Herriford.
The Canadian rapper is facing over 22 years in prison for shooting his ex, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, after a house party in Los Angeles in July 2020. In December, he was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, discharging a firearm with gross negligence, and carrying a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle. On Monday, Lanez pleaded with the judge to not send him to prison for up to two decades.
“Please don’t rule on my life. I could be your son. I could be your brother,” Lanez said to the judge, Urban Hollywood 411 reports.
We reported previously that an attorney for Lanez (born Daystar Peterson) is suggesting that “mistaken eyewitness identifications” led to his conviction in the shooting case.
Court just let out for the day. Judge Herriford is going to issue his ruling tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. Tory Lanez spoke to him before he was led out in handcuffs.
“Please don’t rule on my life. I could be your son. I could be your brother,” Lanez told the judge, who is Black.
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) May 8, 2023
Famed criminal defense attorney Jose Baez posted a series of Instagram Stories on Thursday (May 4), in which he cited data from the Innocence Project showing that unreliable eyewitnesses play a large role in wrongful convictions and that many cases have been overturned thanks to post-conviction DNA evidence.
Lanez has maintained his innocence since the shooting incident made headlines, and even after his conviction. Last month, he shared an open letter to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón in which he voices his frustrations with his conviction in the case.
In the letter, Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) slams the prosecutors and proclaims his innocence, Urban Hollywood 411 reports. The rapper is facing over 22 years for shooting his ex, rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Lanez is scheduled to appear in court on May 8, for a sentencing hearing.
“I write this letter with the utmost humility, love, and respect for the remarkable stance you’ve taken in regards to fighting for the justice of Black and Brown minorities,” Lanez’s open letter began.
The rapper then criticized the prosecutors and district attorneys in the case.
“Today I take a stance as an innocent Black man, wrongfully convicted of a crime I did not commit,” he continued. “I’ve watched two district attorneys from your office by the names of Kathy Ta and Alex Bott unlawfully misuse their authority to hide and suppress any and all exculpatory evidence that exonerates me, or furthers my innocence. I was completely robbed and deprived of a fair trial.”
Tory Lanez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13.
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