A$AP Rocky: Closing arguments underway in felony assault trial

Attorneys gave their closing arguments Thursday in the gun assault trial of rapper-turned-fashion mogul A$AP Rocky, who faces two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm that could bring him years behind bars.

Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, was charged in August 2022 for his role in a pair of confrontations with Terell Ephron -- also known as A$AP Relli -- on the night of Nov. 6, 2021, in Hollywood.

The prosecution alleges Relli was shot twice, with one bullet grazing the knuckles of his left hand. But Rocky's defense maintains the hip-hop star was carrying a prop gun, which could only shoot blanks and would not constitute a crime if fired. Neither gun was produced for the jury during the trial.

"This is not a difficult case," Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec told the jury in summation. "There's just one important question that you have to answer, and that is did Mr. Mayers use a real gun or did he use a fake gun? ... Nothing else is in dispute."

A$AP Rocky arrives at court on February 4, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)

Relli testified that he saw his former friend outside a parking garage in an encounter partially caught on surveillance video and that the Grammy- nominated music star pulled a gun from his waistband, put it toward his stomach and said, "I'll kill you right now."

The accuser said during a November 2023 hearing that he believed the 36-year-old rapper had become "big-headed" due to his success, telling Rocky he had "failed everybody" and claiming that no one else was brave enough to share their honest opinions with him.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: A$AP Rocky trial: Opening statements begin

Relli alleged Rocky turned around and shot at him, saying he believed his left hand had been grazed by the gunfire. He said he waited until he got to New York to go to a hospital days later to seek medical treatment for his three injured knuckles, saying he was in pain.

Rocky's attorney, Joe Tacopina, maintains that the gun was a "starter pistol" that only fired blanks. He claimed Rocky carried it as a prop for security reasons.

Prosecutors, however, insist that Rocky used a genuine firearm that shot real bullets, one of which injured Relli's knuckles when fired. Neither the prop gun or alleged genuine firearm were produced at trial.

Relli testified that after the altercation, he left the scene, but returned about an hour later -- after police had unsuccessfully searched the area for evidence of shots fired -- and found two shell casings on the street. He said he took the casings to police two days later.

A Los Angeles Police Department detective testified that he did not see Relli on surveillance video showing the Hollywood street at the time the accuser says he found the shell casings ostensibly from the gun allegedly used to shoot at him.

Rocky declined to take the stand in his own defense.

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On Tuesday, attorneys for both sides came to an agreement which was read to the jury that a final prosecution witness -- if called to the stand -- would testify that the prop gun discussed in the case "would have ejected two fired cartridge cases as it was fired. The fired cartridge cases (allegedly found by Relli at the scene of the incident) were not fired from the prop gun."

For Rocky to be found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, prosecutors must show that the gun was real.

In jury instructions Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold told the jury that they may consider self-defense as a possible motive.

After attorneys give their summations Thursday, the case is expected to go to the jury for deliberations.

Pop star Rihanna -- Rocky's longtime partner and the mother of the couple's two children -- has appeared in the courtroom five times since the trial began Jan. 24 to show support for her boyfriend.

Relli, the key witness in the prosecution case, testified for several days, frequently lashing out at defense attorney Tacopina, showing anger and suspicion at the questions.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: A$AP Rocky trial: A$AP Relli scolded by judge

Before opening statements last month, Rocky rejected a plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and serve six months behind bars.

In his opening, Tacopina accused Relli of being driven by "jealousy, lies and greed," and alleged that he invented parts of his story of being attacked to bolster an attempt to extort cash from Rocky.

Rocky was arrested in April 2022 upon returning to Los Angeles from a trip with Rihanna to her native Barbados. Relli filed a lawsuit for assault, battery and emotional distress against Rocky four months later.