LOS ANGELES (AP) – About a hundred jurors will gather in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday with the prospect of serving in court. A$AP Rocky’s three-week trial, Who is accused of firing a gun at a former friend.
Los Angeles prosecutors will direct much of their questioning to potential jurors, who were asked by defense attorneys Tuesday if the star rapper, fashion maven and actor had negative feelings about hip-hop, guns or New Yorkers.
“When I get up here with this funny accent, which I don’t try to but do, is anyone going to have a problem?” asked defense attorney Joe Tacopina, who likes that his client is from New York.
No one accepted negative emotions.
“I love L.A.,” added the lawyer.
About half of the initial group in the jury box said they had heard of A$AP Rocky before coming to court. Almost everyone said they had heard of Rihanna, his longtime partner and mother of his two young sons.
All agreed that they would not let the couple’s celebrity influence their decision in any direction.
Jury selection began after Rocky, 36, turned down a deal that offered him 180 days in jail, a seven-year suspended sentence and three years of probation if he was convicted of either of the two felonies. Accepts the crime. Assault with a semi-automatic firearm.
A pool of 106 judges was brought. Some were given the excuse of difficulties. A man was pardoned because he said he was so anti-gun that he couldn’t be neutral. After 12 more of these alternates have been seated, opening statements will begin. It could come as early as Wednesday afternoon.
At the end of Tuesday’s proceedings, Rocky’s attorneys called for a hearing on the demographics of the jury pool, saying the area from which potential jurors are drawn is 9% African-American, but assessments of their room According to the Those called were black.
“There’s a certain group that’s missing,” said Rocky’s attorney Chad Siegel, arguing that’s a violation of California’s right to a fair trial and the Sixth Amendment.
Supreme Court Justice Mark Arnold denied the request.
“There is no authority that requires a certain percentage of any race on a jury,” he said.
Rocky has been named one of the celebrity chairs. Met Gala. in May, and has a lead role in the upcoming Spike Lee-directed film opposite Denzel Washington.
But his life could be ruined if he is convicted of pointing a gun at childhood friend Terrell Efron, who testified that their relationship had soured and that there was an argument on the night of Nov. 6, 2021. finger
Tacopina also revealed for the first time in court Tuesday that the defense plans to call witnesses to testify that the firearm seen on the security video is a starter pistol that Rocky used for security. what was
