A$AP Rocky’s lawyer says accuser was the aggressor and lied as assault trial nears end

A$AP Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, delivered a scathing closing argument in defence of the hip-hop star during his trial for assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Tacopina portrayed the accuser, A$AP Relli, as the true aggressor on the night of the incident and as an unreliable witness on the stand.

Throughout his closing argument, Tacopina highlighted Relli’s combative and evasive behaviour during his testimony. He pointed out deleted text messages in which Relli goaded Rocky to engage in physical violence, painting a picture of Relli as the instigator of the confrontation. Tacopina accused Relli of lying to the police and destroying evidence to support his version of events.

Tacopina also focused on surveillance video footage that showed Relli making the first aggressive move towards Rocky before the altercation escalated. He argued that even if jurors did not believe Rocky’s claim that he fired blanks from a prop gun, they could still find him innocent based on self-defence.

In a dramatic courtroom moment, tensions between Tacopina and the prosecution’s Deputy District Attorney John Lewin boiled over, with Lewin accusing Tacopina of lacking ethics. The heated exchange led to a shouting match that drew reprimands from Judge Mark Arnold.

The prosecution’s closing argument emphasized the alleged use of a real gun in the incident, despite the lack of physical evidence presented by either side. Relli claimed to have sustained minor injuries from the altercation, but the defence questioned the credibility of his account.

Throughout the trial, A$AP Rocky’s partner, Rihanna, made appearances in court, showing support for the rapper. The high-profile nature of the case, coupled with the intense courtroom drama, has kept the public captivated by the proceedings.

As the trial nears its conclusion and the jury prepares to deliberate, the stakes are high for A$AP Rocky, who could face up to 24 years in prison if convicted on both assault charges. The outcome of the trial will have far-reaching implications for the rapper’s career and personal life.