LOS ANGELES (AP) — A decide stated he expects a jury will likely be chosen on the trial of A$AP Rocky on Thursday, whereas legal professionals for the hip-hop star are protesting the dearth of Black candidates for the panel.
Almost 100 potential jurors will pack into the Los Angeles courtroom for a 3rd lengthy day of questioning on the trial, the place Rocky is accused of two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for allegedly firing on a former buddy in Hollywood in 2021.
Opening statements will start as soon as 12 of them, and 4 alternates, are seated.
“I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a jury tomorrow,” Superior Court docket Choose Mark Arnold stated on the finish of courtroom Wednesday, thanking the panelists for his or her persistence. “This is not going to go on forever.”
Aside from dismissals for trigger, both sides can have 10 jurors dismissed with out giving a purpose. The protection has used 4 of its challenges. Prosecutors used only one. They stated they’re pleased with the jury as presently composed. However that will change.
In the meantime, legal professionals for Rocky stated they deliberate to attraction a decide’s rejection of their request for a listening to on why lower than 5% of the jury pool is Black, whereas the world they’re drawn from is 9% African American. It is attainable that not one of the 16 jurors chosen will likely be Black.
“We’re troubled by that to say the least,” protection lawyer Joe Tacopina stated. “We’re in downtown Los Angeles, not a small town in Montana.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton stated on the social platform X that he has been following the proceedings and was crucial of the racial make-up of the juror pool.
“It is absolutely ridiculous that the jury will be not fair and representative, so as to deprive A$AP Rocky of a fair trial,” the publish stated. “I am monitoring this trial and challenging the Los Angeles District Attorney to ensure that fair and representative justice is afforded to A$AP Rocky.”
The decide declined to pause the trial for the attraction.
Prosecutors questioned potential jurors Wednesday about their attitudes towards police and celeb.
Deputy District Lawyer John Lewin requested how lots of the 12 individuals within the jury field through the first spherical of questioning think about themselves followers of Rihanna, who’s Rocky’s longtime life accomplice and the mom of his two toddler sons. 4 stated they had been.
He requested them whether or not they’ll fear concerning the impact that convicting Rocky — on two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, which might result in a few years in jail — might have on Rihanna.
“You put it in my head, and now I’m like, ‘Oh, it would affect her,’” one lady within the jury field responded.
Rocky, who’s free on bail and has pleaded not responsible, sat on the protection desk, watching the questioning.
Rihanna was not in courtroom with him, however Rocky’s mom and sister sat in his part of the gallery.
When informed who they had been, Arnold marveled on the youthful look of his mom, Renee Black.
“What were you, 7 when you had him?” the decide requested. She stated she was 26.
“You are very beautiful,” the decide informed her. “That’s on the record.”
Jury choice started Tuesday after the 36-year-old Rocky, whose authorized identify is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, turned down a deal providing 180 days in jail, a seven-year suspended sentence and three years’ probation if he would plead responsible to one of many two counts.
Rocky is about to headline the Rolling Loud California music pageant in March, he has been named one of many celeb chairs of the Met Gala in Could, and he has a serious function in a Spike Lee-directed movie with Denzel Washington to be launched quickly after.
However his life could possibly be upended if he is convicted of firing a gun at Terell Ephron, a childhood buddy who testified that their relationship had soured and a feud got here to a head on the night time of Nov. 6, 2021. Ephron testified that bullets grazed his knuckles.
