The jury has been seated A$AP Rocky’s Felony assault case, but lawyers tell Newsweek That one juror, a firearms instructor, is “too risky” in the rapper’s alleged shooting case.
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Newsweek I contacted $AP Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopinaby phone for comment.
$AP Rocky’s lawyers expressed concerns about Lack of blacks in Los Angeles The jury gathered earlier this week. Details about the races, ethnicities and genders of the final 12 jurors and four alternates are not available at press time.
What is a $AP face rock?
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. The charges stem from a 2021 incident where he allegedly fired shots at his ex-boyfriend A$AP Relli.
A$AP Rocky rejected a plea deal, including 180 days in jail, a suspended sentence, and probation.
What do you know?
A firearms instructor told the court Thursday she has a family history of legal experts.
Legal affairs journalist Megan Cunniff I mentioned That woman said her father was a criminal defense attorney, her uncle was a judge, and four of her cousins are lawyers, including the district attorney.
The female alternate juror selected is an entertainment attorney, Conniff said.
Prosecutors excused a woman who would have been a surrogate after she said she was a digital creator creating “viral moments” and was “very familiar with $AP Rocky’s fame status.”
They also rejected a man who stated he did not trust law enforcement after his father beat his mother during his childhood and police in Nebraska did nothing to help.
Cuniff also reported that $AP Rocky’s legal team turned down a man who said his cousin was an LAPD officer on the witness list, even though prosecutors said he would not be called to testify.
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Michael McAuliffe responds
He told attorney Michael McAuliffe Newsweek On Thursday, the female juror, who is a firearms instructor, can have a major influence on the jury.
“The advantage is that she can easily understand information about weapons and bullets, but the potential downside is that she will actually become an expert witness for other jurors,” he said.
McAuliffe added that it appears $AP Rocky’s defense team used seven out of 10 rule challenges during final jury selection.
“If that is accurate, it is puzzling why the defense would keep a firearms instructor on the jury given the firearms charges,” he said. “The defense must believe something else about the juror beyond her experience around firearms. It’s a very risky maneuver.”
Nima Rahmi responds
Former federal prosecutor Nima Rahmi also called the female firearms instructor “extremely risky” for both the defense and prosecution.
Tell the legal analyst Newsweek On Thursday, a juror with that kind of experience can sway the entire jury.”
“What you want if you’re the prosecution — this is not the strongest case in the world — so maybe the prosecutors firmly believe that this person is in their camp and on their side. But if you’re not, they could easily hang the plate that could even lead to an acquittal.”
Who is $AP Rocky’s lawyer?
Joe Tacopina $AP represents Rocky in the assault trial. No stranger to high-profile cases, the New York-based attorney has also represented rapper Meek Mill, baseball player Alex Rodriguez, and President Donald Trump.
Another famous client, Fox News Hosts Sean Hannitycalled Tacopina one of “the greatest defense attorneys of all time.”
Tacopina and another attorney for $AP Rocky, Chad Siegel, Problems with jury pool this week.
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Seigel argued that the pool must have been skewed because of the 106 potential jurors, only five were black, thus not representing the 9 percent of blacks who make up Los Angeles’ population.
Judge Mark Arnold rejected that argument, saying, “There is no authority requiring any particular percentage of any race to be on the jury,” Conniff said.
What happens next
With the jury set, opening statements on the $AP Rocky Trial begin Friday at 10:30 a.m. local time. The judge allowed a camera in the courtroom for the trial, so the public will be able to watch.
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