LOS ANGELES — A decide sentenced rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in jail Tuesday for capturing and wounding hip-hop celebrity Megan Thee Stallion.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 31-year-old Lanez, who was convicted in December of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a automobile and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
The sentence brings an finish to a dramatic trial that created a cultural firestorm within the hip-hop group, churning up points together with the reluctance of Black victims to talk to police, gender politics in hip-hop, on-line toxicity, defending Black ladies and the ramifications of misogynoir, a specific model of misogyny Black ladies expertise.
Herriford mentioned it was “difficult to reconcile” the type, charitable individual and good father many individuals described Lanez as being throughout the sentencing listening to with the one who fired the gun at Megan.
“Sometimes good people do bad things,” Herriford mentioned. “Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.”
Megan testified that Lanez fired the gun in the back of her toes and shouted for her to bounce as she walked away from an SUV wherein they’d been using in July 2020, after leaving a pool social gathering at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills house. She needed to have surgical procedure to take away bullet fragments.
“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” Megan mentioned in an announcement learn by a prosecutor on Monday. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”
Lanez requested Herriford for mercy simply earlier than the decide delivered his sentence. Lanez requested both probation or a minimal jail sentence.
“If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them,” I’d, Lanez continued. “The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day.”
He added, “Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for.”
Lanez appeared surprised whereas the sentence was learn, however had no audible response. His household and followers within the courtroom additionally remained quiet after the sentence.
The rapper was given about 10 months of credit score for time he’s served since his conviction in December.
“I hope that Miss Pete’s bravery gives hope to those who feel helpless,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón mentioned of Megan, whose authorized identify is Megan Pete, at a information convention after the sentencing.
During Monday’s session, Lanez’s father, Sonstar Peterson, choked again tears as he talked about how the rapper’s mom died when he was 11, simply days after she first confirmed signs of the uncommon blood dysfunction that may result in her dying.
“I don’t think anybody ever gets over that,” he mentioned of their youngest little one, whose authorized identify is Daystar Peterson. “But his music became his outlet.”
Lanez started releasing mixtapes in 2009 and noticed a gradual rise in recognition, shifting on to major-label albums. His final two reached the highest 10 on Billboard’s charts.
Megan Thee Stallion, now 28, was already a serious rising star on the time of the capturing, and her prominence has surged since. Born Megan Pete, she received a Grammy for finest new artist in 2021, and she or he had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” that includes Beyoncé, and as a visitor on Cardi B’s “WAP.”
The elder Peterson, who’s a Christian minister, was one among a number of individuals who gave statements on Lanez’s character and charitable giving — as did the mom of Lanez’s younger son, who spoke in court docket about his qualities as a father. Dozens extra wrote letters to Herriford, together with rapper Iggy Azalea, who requested the decide handy down a sentence that was “transformative, not life-destroying.”
Herriford mentioned Lanez’s son, who’s about 6 years outdated, additionally despatched in a handwritten letter, however the decide didn’t describe it additional.
Lanez’s household and supporters have packed the courtroom; throughout the trial, they contended his prosecution was unjustly introduced on by Megan and highly effective figures in music. After the decision was learn in December, Lanez’s father denounced the “wicked system” that led to his son’s conviction; on Monday, Sonstar Peterson apologized to Herriford for the outburst.
Lanez has been jailed since his conviction. A chaplain from Los Angeles County jail mentioned Monday in court docket that Lanez has led day by day prayer teams which have eased tensions within the protecting custody unit the place he has been held.
Herriford denied a movement from Lanez’s protection attorneys for a brand new trial on May 9. Such motions instantly following a conviction are frequent and infrequently succeed. Attorneys for Lanez had argued that there was inadequate proof to convict him, and a number of the proof offered to jurors shouldn’t have been allowed.
The attorneys argued Megan’s testimony that Lanez urged her to not go to police as a result of he was on parole and could be in deep trouble was each unfaithful and an improper allowance of prior unhealthy acts. And they mentioned DNA proof that prosecutors used to argue Lanez was the doubtless shooter fell effectively in need of business requirements.
Lawyers for Lanez plan to attraction the conviction.
Herriford discovered earlier Monday that Megan was an particularly susceptible sufferer when she was shot, however that Lanez was not particularly merciless or callous in firing at her.
“She has permanent scarring, physically,” Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott mentioned in court docket. “And she certainly will have emotional scarring for the rest of her life.”
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