A Los Angeles judge has recently denied a motion for a new trial from the lawyers of American rapper and singer Tory Lanez amid his conviction over three accounted felonies in December for shooting hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the feet and wounding her.
Back in 2020, Megan Jovon Ruth Pete popularly known by her stage name, Megan Thee Stallion had testified that Lanezfired a handgun at the back of her feet and ‘shouted for her to dance’ as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding in the Hollywood Hills.
According to an Instagram Live, Megan claimed that she was in Lanez’s car on July 12 2020, with him, his bodyguard, and her friend, and that the four were arguing. Megan, who was in the front seat, left the car. She alleged that Lanez shot her through the car’s back window. The trials have since been adjourned twice.
On Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Herriford rejected arguments from the 30 year old’s lawyers on grounds that evidence was wrongly admitted at the trial he presided over. He said that the exclusion of the disputed evidence would not have made a difference at the recent trial.
Tory Lanez, 30, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, will now be sentenced for three convictions of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. With these charges, he could get up to 22 years in prison and face deportation to his native country, Canada.
As the Say It singer was led from the courtroom back to his cell after a hearing on the motion a day earlier, he pleaded with the Judge Herriford to help him, saying “I could be your son. I could be your brother.â€
Motions for a new trial filed immediately afterward with the same judge are a common precursor to appealing to a higher court, which Lanez’s attorneys plan to do. Though themotions are very rarely successful.
The media has been on a standstill all week awaiting the judge’s final verdict and Tory’s fate.