A Los Angeles judge sentenced Canadian rapper Tory Lanez to ten years in prison for shooting at the feet of Megan Thee Stallion, a successful hip hop artist, after leaving a party in the Californian city. They had had a discussion about their music careers and her relationship, described as one of jealousy.
The singer, who pleaded not guilty at trial, was found guilty by a jury last December. This week the hearing to determine the sentence of a high-profile media case took place: there has also been a hearing in court on social networks. According to the prosecution, Megan, 28, was the victim of a series of “grotesque attacks” that highlighted the scrutiny black women face when they report abuse.
Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, shot triple Grammy winner Megan Pete five times. This incident occurred after a celebration that model and reality star Kylie Jenner, of the Kardashian clan, called at her home in her Hollywood Hills on July 12, 2020.
The jury found that Lanez, 31, committed three crimes: assault with a semi-automatic firearm, carrying a loaded and unregistered weapon in his vehicle, and discharging that weapon with gross negligence.
Dressed in the orange prison jumpsuit, the convict made his way to the courtroom before the judge pronounced the verdict. The singer apologized and took full responsibility for the shooting that took place that day.
“If I could change things, I would, but I can’t,” he said. “He accepted my blame for everything that happened, I’m really trying to be a better person,” she proclaimed.
He seemed surprised to hear the grief, but kept his cool. His son’s mother, on the other hand, burst into tears as she left the room. Lanez’s lawyer has already shown his intention to appeal the sentence and said that he intended to ask for bail while awaiting the resolution of the appeal.
Judge David Herriford said when announcing his decision that it is difficult to reconcile the great father and the person committed to philanthropy, as many have described the convicted person, and the person who shot Megan five times.
“Sometimes good people do bad deeds, but the deeds have consequences. There are no winners in this case,” the magistrate stressed. The charges could have gone up to 22 years in prison, but the prosecution requested thirteen. The rapper continued to traumatize the “Savage” author with her post on social media, prompting her followers to make her the target of her wrath.
Prosecutor Alex Bott explained that Lanez called Megan a liar, intimidated and harassed her. “He Not only did he commit the heinous act of shooting her, but he made her live hell for two and a half years,” he argued before the ruling. This conviction could also lead to Lanez’s deportation.
His defense argued when requesting a milder penalty that the artist suffered from alcohol abuse disorders, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder due to the unexpected death of his mother when he was eleven years old.
The accuser was skeptical of these apologies. “This case has nothing to do with mental illness, he shot Megan because“ she hurt her ego ”, he replied. “Tory Lanez is not the victim in this story,” he added.
As Megan testified, the rapper yelled at her to dance and then shot at her feet as she left the vehicle in which the two and other guests were riding. She confessed that initially, at the scene, she told the police that she had cut her feet with some crystals when she saw that she was bleeding. Doctors found bullet fragments during her examination at the hospital. One foot required surgery to repair it.
Some time later, on CBS, Megan admitted that she lied to the police because she feared that the truth could lead to a more dangerous situation. She was afraid that “the officers will shoot us if she admits that some black people had a gun in the car.”
Megan, who says she is still suffering from the consequences of the incident and still has trouble walking, publicly cited Lanez as the gunman in a video she posted on Instagram. She also recounted the incident in her song “Shots fired.”
In court, he stated that the attacker offered him a million dollars to forget about the case. Lanez, who dedicated an entire album to refute the victim’s version, did not testify at the trial.
