Canadian rapper, Tory Lanez has filed an appeal of his guilty verdict in his July 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion, saying that prosecutors in the case engaged in misconduct.
Attorneys for the 31-year-old rapper, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, said that the grounds for the appeal in the case was the aforementioned misconduct and an ‘erroneous admission of evidence,’ US Weekly reported on Wednesday after reviewing documents in the case.
The Brampton, Canada native was convicted in August 2023 in December of 2022 of assault with a semiautomatic firearm; keeping a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging the firearm with gross negligence.
Lanez received a 10-year prison sentence in connection with three felony convictions in the July 2020 incident in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.
In legal docs, lawyers for the Jerry Sprunger artist took issue with the manner in which Megan Thee Stallion, 29, whose real name is Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, took the stand to testify.
Lanez’s lawyers said that Megan was ‘allowed to inappropriately answer questions in a narrative format including testimony concerning irrelevant and inadmissible matters, such as her feelings regarding the circumstances of the incident.’
The Broke in a Minute performer’s legal team said that ‘prosecutors made multiple improper appeals to emotion and sympathy for’ Megan in their closing arguments, which ‘had no bearing’ on determining if Lanez had been innocent or guilty.
‘Sympathy for the victim is out of place during an objective determination of guilt,’ Lanez’s lawyers said.
In the trial, Megan testified Lanez had shot at her feet and yelled at her to dance as she was getting out of an SUV following a party at the home of Kylie Jenner.
Megan, who initially did not publicly identify Lanez as the shooter, testified she had to undergo surgery to take bullet fragments out of her feet.
‘Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,’ the songstress said in a statement a prosecutor read prior to the sentencing. ‘Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.’
Prosecutors spoke positively of Megan for her fortitude in coming forward amid online hate and mockery aimed at her over the incident involving Lanez.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said, ‘I hope that Miss Pete’s bravery gives hope to those who feel helpless.’
She continued, ‘Just because you are in a bad situation doesn’t mean you are a bad person. Our value doesn’t come from the opinions of other people. As long as you stand your ground and live in your truth, nobody can take your power.’
Lanez stated he was not apologizing to the singer in a statement he issued on his Instagram page in the wake of his sentencing.
‘This week in court I took responsibility for all verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved,’ he said. ‘That’s it.’
He continued, ‘In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I’m being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do … tough times don’t last, tough people do.’
The latest developments in the shooting case involving Lanez came days after superstar rapper Drake posted an Instagram Stories picture of the Talk to Me rapper Sunday captioned, ‘3 you.’
