A$AP Rocky has been given a trial date after pleading not guilty to shooting A$AP Relli.
According to Rolling Stone, Superior Court Judge Karla Kerlin set two preliminary hearing dates for June 28 and August 2, with the trial scheduled to begin on October 21.
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Rocky, who was charged with two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, faces up to 24 years in prison if found guilty.
Last year, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence for the Harlem rapper (real name Rakim Mayers) to stand trial over the charges.
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He is accused of shooting at former friend A$AP Relli during a “heated argument” in Hollywood in 2021.
According to Relli, tensions between the two ignited after Rocky allegedly promised to help the family of a deceased member of the A$AP Mob, but never did.
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During a meeting in a Los Angeles hotel back in 2021, Relli claims that A$AP Rocky arrived with multiple men, pointed a gun at his stomach and said: “I’ll kill you right now.”
He then testified that he was shot shortly afterwards and claims Rocky shot him four times — including once in the hand — before fleeing the scene.
Security footage pieced together from various nearby parking garages appeared to show a firearm in the rapper’s possession while getting into an altercation before he flees.
A video shown in court during a preliminary hearing included audio of two gunshots around 10 p.m. PT on November 6, 2021, which aligns with prosecutors’ records.
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Relli is also suing Rocky and his attorney Joe Tacopina for defamation, accusing them of running a media campaign that paints him as a liar.
Relli’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, claimed in court documents that Tacopina told Rolling Stone in September 2021 that Mayers “didn’t shoot [Ephron] by any stretch,” and described the alleged shooting as a “false scenario” and a way to garner money.
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As a result of Tacopina’s remarks, A$AP Relli has “suffered damage to his reputation and his personal brand; goodwill in the community as a member of A$AP Mob” and potentially lost future income “as a result of the negative publicity.” He is seeking punitive or exemplary damages, plus legal fees.
