Rapper A$AP Rocky, legally named Rakim Mayers, has declined a plea agreement as he prepares to stand trial on charges of assault.
The artist faces allegations that he brandished a weapon during a clash with fellow rapper Terell Ephron, known as A$AP Relli, in Hollywood.
The proposed plea deal included a six-month jail sentence, three years of probation, and a suspended seven-year term if Mayers pleaded guilty to one of the two assault charges. Mayers rejected the offer, opting to proceed with the trial.
Judge Mark Arnold of Los Angeles County Superior Court addressed a jury selection panel, identifying Mayers as an entertainer known by the stage name A$AP Rocky, and mentioning his relationship with singer Rihanna.
Mayers, aged 36, was charged in August 2022 with two counts of assault involving a semiautomatic firearm. The charges also include allegations that Mayers personally used the firearm during two confrontations with Ephron in November 2021.
Ephron has testified that Mayers confronted him and pulled a gun during an encounter partially recorded on surveillance.
Ephron claims Mayers pointed the weapon at his stomach and made a threat on his life. He described the confrontation as feeling extended but lasting only seconds and said he pursued Mayers after observing another individual in Mayers’ entourage conceal a pocket knife.
Ephron believes Mayers’ fame led to arrogance, expressing that the rapper had disappointed many and that others were afraid to be honest with him.
He only intended to share his perspective, believing he would not see Mayers again.
The confrontation allegedly ended with Mayers firing a shot, which Ephron believes grazed his hand. He sought medical attention for his injuries in New York, citing pain from the incident.
Mayers’ defense attorney, Joe Tacopina, contends that the musician is innocent and a victim of the situation.
Tacopina indicated plans to call witnesses to testify that the gun involved was a starter pistol, used by Mayers for security purposes.
A judge ruled in late 2023 that evidence was sufficient for Mayers to stand trial. The charges against him stem from an incident on November 6, 2021, involving two separate confrontations with Ephron.
Mayers was arrested in April 2022 at Los Angeles International Airport, returning from a trip with Rihanna to Barbados. The couple now has two children.