LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury of 5 males and 7 ladies was seated Thursday on the trial of rapper A$AP Rocky, who’s charged with firing a gun at a former pal in 2021.
Opening statements on the Los Angeles trial of the 36-year-old hip-hop celebrity and trend maven will doubtless start Friday after the 12 jurors have been chosen. 4 alternates nonetheless must be chosen.
Rocky turned down a prosecution plea provide of 180 days in jail to danger years in jail if the jurors discover him responsible of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He has pleaded not responsible and his lawyer says he dedicated no crime.
He opted as an alternative to danger trial on two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, prices that with conviction carry a penalty of as much as 24 years in jail.
It took the 2 sides 2 1/2 days to choose the jurors from a pool of greater than 100 candidates who packed right into a downtown LA courtroom. Many have been excused for trigger, others despatched away by one of many two sides. Every had 10 jurors they may excuse with no cause. The protection used seven of their challenges, the prosecution simply two.
One man questioned Thursday works as a civilian with the Los Angeles Police Division and has intensive ties to regulation enforcement together with a cousin who was on the case’s witness checklist however shouldn’t be anticipated to be known as.
After the choose declined to dismiss him for trigger, Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina took him off the jury.
“Here’s a shocker, we’re going to thank and excuse juror number 27.”
