A$AP Rocky is possibly in the biggest legal fight of his life.
The rapper is facing trial on two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm related to an alleged 2021 shooting incident in Hollywood — and has turned down a plea deal from the prosecution.
Rocky, 36, is accused of firing shots at Terell Ephron — aka A$AP Relli — who claims the alleged shots “grazed his knuckles.”
The prosecutors offered the artist a deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one of the two felony counts in exchange for a recommended 180 days in jail and three years of probation.
Rocky’s decision to decline their offer could go one of two ways, according to “True Crime News” host Ana Garcia.
“I think he’s got a strong case – I do believe that,” the journalist exclusively told The Post. “I’m not so sure how strong the prosecution evidence is. And also, it’s always a gamble. You get a chance to defend yourself. You get a chance to go in front of a jury. You get a chance to let them decide your fate, and sometimes that’s really risky.”
Garcia noted that it’s not uncommon for people who believe in their innocence to take their chances at trial.
“If in your heart, and you see this a lot, especially if they believe they are innocent, they are like, ‘No, absolutely not. I am innocent. I want my day in court and I will prove it,’” she explained.
But, as many know, proclaiming your innocence doesn’t make it true.
Garcia added, “Now, you’ll still have people who truly are guilty of things that will also say, ‘No, no, no, no! I’m innocent’ – like Sarah Boone.”
Boone was sentenced to life in prison after she was found guilty of second-degree murder for zipping her boyfriend in a suitcase and leaving him inside until he died.
“She was given a sweet deal before and ends up being convicted and spending the rest of her life in prison,” Garcia continued. “In that case, there was even video implicating her. So one would think she should have taken the deal.”
In Rocky’s case, police officers searched the scene but found no physical evidence of a shooting, such as shell casings or bullet holes. Two days after the alleged incident, Relli reportedly brought shell casings to the police, claiming he retrieved them from the scene.
“I am quite surprised by that,” Garcia mused. “That’s beyond unusual and the casing that he says were from his shooting do not match any weapons that the authorities have looked for. The authorities have served a search warrant on A$AP Rocky’s home and they did find registered weapons. He’s licensed to carry a concealed weapon, but those weapons that he had do not match the bullet casing that were found, picked up, and delivered by the victim.”
As the anchor put it, “That’s perplexing.”
Along with proclaiming his innocence, Rocky’s lawyers took issue with the jury selection.
His attorney, Joe Tacopina, said they were “troubled” that less than 5% of the jury pool is black, while the area they are drawn from is 9% African American.
“Totally agree,” Garcia expressed adamantly. “How can you not have any African Americans on this jury? This is Los Angeles. We are perhaps the most racially, ethnically, diverse city in the country – it’s amazing.”
The true crime expert quipped, “You’re telling me that during this entire process you couldn’t find multiple African Americans to sit on this trial? That’s absurd.”
Rocky now faces up to 24 years in prison if found guilty.
