Tory Lanez‘s driver, Jaquan Smith, recently testified critically about the night Megan Thee Stallion was shot. He shared what he saw on this confusing night, shedding more light on an already complicated case.
#BREAKINGNEWS Tory Lanez Driver, Jaquan’s Smith, Has Finally Provided His Affidavit Of What He Witnessed The Night Megan “Thee Stallion” Pete Was Shot! PIC.TWITTER.COM/MJ8VXEZMOQ
— PrettyGirlzGoSip (@MISSES101) JULY 29, 2024
Smith recounted the events that preceded the shooting. He detailed how he was driving the vehicle, including Lanez, Megan Thee Stallion, and Kelsey Harris. He said the car had a tense atmosphere before an argument erupted between the three. He added that he hadn’t seen who shot Megan, which is contrary to the exceptionally pristine narrative that had earlier been established.
“I saw Kelsey holding the gun at one point,” Smith said, adding that Lanez was trying to disarm her. “I pulled over to stop them. Ms. Pete [Megan Thee Stallion] and Ms. Harris exited the vehicle and continued to fight verbally and physically.”
Smith’s account describes an operation of mayhem and confusion. He insisted that Lanez wasn’t the aggressor, only trying to prevent further violence. “Mr. Peterson-Tory Lanez-and Ms. Harris began struggling as Mr. Peterson tried to unarm Ms. Harris,” Smith explained.
A new testimony fired up new arguments. Lanez‘s legal representation is fighting for a retrial because, according to them, Smith’s statement was of foremost importance and wasn’t presented during the original trial. However, prosecutors opposed that motion because Lanez’s former lawyer had decided not to call Smith to testify; he was concerned about bias and repetition in his statements.
That first trial was a whirlwind of emotion and revelations. Megan Thee Stallion, known for her fire lyrics spitting and intense persona, gave an emotional testimony—the first of the day—that Lanez had shot her, then offered her a whopping $1 million if she kept quiet about the incident. She spoke about the irreversible physical damages and emotional aftermath of the shooting, including nerve damage and chronic pain.
The incident in question happened on July 12, 2020. Megan was shot in the foot following an argument that had ensued in an SUV, including Lanez, Megan, and two others. Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, was subsequently convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Megan testified at trial that Lanez shot her while yelling, “Dance, b—-,” and later apologized and offered her money to stay silent. Lanez pleaded not guilty to charges, claiming his innocence throughout the trial. Taking the stand, emotional Megan Pete recounts lasting physical and emotional scars from the shooting: nerve damage and chronic pain.
Conflicting testimonies marked the trial. A report had Kelsey Harris having a gun during the incident. Eyewitness Sean Kelly, in his statement, first described that it was a woman who had fired the first shot, then he later fingered Lanez’s involvement. These discrepancies placed the case in even murkier waters.
Things became even more convoluted recently when a sure Jaquan Smith, in his comment, revealed that he saw Harris holding the gun, and he remembered Lanez trying to disarm her. Smith’s testimony was never part of the actual trial but was part of what Lanez’s legal team included in his appeal for resentencing. His lawyers say his clean criminal record and challenging childhood circumstances should be considered.
The fatal shooting led to a conviction and a 10-year prison sentence for Tory Lanez. Lanez has yet to apologize and still claims he is innocent of wrongdoing. His legal team has filed a habeas petition in the hope that the sentencing may be reconsidered with new statements from Smith.
The California Attorney General’s Office has a different story to tell, however. It acknowledges it was aware of the existence of Smith’s testimony but believed it would have made no difference. As Deputy Attorney General Michael C. Keller explained,
“Recognizing that an independent eyewitness had placed the gun in the hands of Harris before the shooting, defense counsel explained that it would not ‘do anything’ to have appellant’s friend say the same thing.”
The consequences of this shooting incident have been far-reaching. Lanez was charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm, among other counts, and he has pleaded not guilty. Megan testified against him, recounting that unfortunate, harrowing night when she had been shot. This case gained wide media attention and public debate as celebrities and fans came out in solidarity with Megan. The hashtag #ProtectBlackWomen began to trend, underlining a broader issue: violence against Black women.
Career-wise, things dropped significantly on both sides. Megan Thee Stallion received tremendous support from music lovers and thus started putting out more tracks consecutively while being on the charts and sweeping up awards. As for Tory Lanez, he saw a backlash because his songs were hugely watered down by so many radio stations and streaming services.
Megan Thee Stallion turned to social media to share her side of the story, standing up for herself and speaking about the incident that had affected her emotionally and physically. Lanez also made public statements, proclaiming his innocence and referring to occurrences in the incident in his music.
December 2022 saw Tory Lanez being found guilty of all counts related to the shooting and was subsequently condemned to jail—the main legally relevant conclusion. However, Jaquan Smith’s testimony from this week may imply that the trouble is far from over. In this case, the result is still awaited with the emergence of new testimonies and evidence.