Tory Lanez has been denied a new trial in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting case, despite having pleaded with the judge for a re-trial earlier this week.
Los Angeles Times reporter James Queally broke the news on Tuesday (May 9), and announced that Judge David Herriford denied the Canadian rapper’s motion for a new trial after his attorneys Matthew Barhoma and Jose Baez had presented their case in front of him on Monday (May 8).
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Lanez’ legal counsel argued that his previous defense attorney, George Mgdesyan, was “ineffective counsel” and that Tory’s DNA was never discovered on the gun, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to sway the judge.
“Tory Lanez motion for a new trial has been denied,” Queally tweeted. “We don’t have a sentencing date yet.”
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He continued: “Attorney Jose Baez and the Lanez team did file a motion disqualify Judge Herriford — I don’t know on what grounds we don’t have copies yet — but Herriford still issued his ruling. That matter will likely be heard outside the county at some point (and that’s also a very high bar.)
“There will be more in the afternoon: defense wanted to ask Herriford to confirm he’s denying their due process claims (not relevant at present) and a sentencing date could be set.”
At the aforementioned hearing, Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) had revealed that Baez had “hired one of the best DNA experts in the nation to carefully analyze the same DNA test,” and found that his DNA “is 100 percent excluded and 100 percent eliminated from the gun.” The DNA test came back “inconclusive” during the trial.
Judge Herriford, however, asked Barhoma and Baez why no one objected to the DNA during the trial. Barhoma answered by saying Holley told the court she was in the process of hiring her own DNA expert, but “that turned out to be false.” An expert wasn’t hired for another eight months and “was not adequately prepared,” Baez claimed.
Before being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs on Monday, Tory Lanez begged Judge Herriford to give him another chance. “Please don’t ruin my life. I could be your son. I could be your brother,” he told the judge (who is Black). Herriford didn’t respond.
Lanez can still appeal his conviction and “may actually have an argument, especially re: ineffective counsel,” Queally had previously tweeted. “But the bar for a verdict to be set aside before sentencing is incredibly high.”
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The Sorry 4 What artist was found guilty in December on all counts of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during a drunken dispute in July 2020 following a high-profile two-week trial in Los Angeles. He faces up to 22 years and eight months in prison, as well as subsequent deportation to his native Canada.
