Rakim Mayers, better known by his musical pen name A$AP Rocky, rejected a plea deal Tuesday afternoon ahead of his trial.
The proposal included six months in prison, three years suspended, and seven years suspended if he pleads guilty to one of the two assault charges.
Rocky is charged with two counts of assault with a semi-automatic weapon. He also faces charges of using a firearm during a November 6, 2021, confrontation with Terrell Efron. He was not formally charged until August 2022.
Rocky’s attorney Joe Tacopina said during Tuesday’s hearing that the defense plans to call witnesses who are expected to testify that the gun was a starter pistol and that the rapper carried it as a prop for safety reasons.
Efron initially testified that he witnessed the encounter with Rocky outside a parking lot in November 2023, but Efron told the judge that Rocky pointed a gun at him and said, “I’m going to kill you right now.” said. Another man in the rapper’s entourage was seen apparently putting away a pocket knife.
Efron said he believes the rapper’s success has made him “big-headed” and “failed everyone.”
The trial began early Tuesday afternoon with jury selection.
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