Tory Lanez has submitted a motion for a new trial on Wednesday, asserting that his legal team failed to ensure “a just and unbiased trial.” This comes after his conviction for assault with a semi-automatic weapon, carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and recklessly discharging a firearm in the case involving Megan Thee Stallion’s shooting in July 2020. The rapper, known as Daystar Peterson, was found guilty of these charges in December and potentially faces a sentence of up to 22 years in prison, set to be determined next month.
Not looking good for the Toronto rapper
Tory Lanez’s request for a new trial has been dismissed by prosecutors, who emphasized the strong evidence against him. The case was supported by numerous eyewitnesses who identified him as the shooter, along with the discovery of the weapon used in the assault near him and recorded apologies related to the incident.PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZQEGHSI8JE
— No Jumper (@nojumper) APRIL 8, 2023
In the filing, Lanez’s lawyers cited several instances that could have been used to taint the jury and unfairly lead them to find him guilty of all three counts. One of them was a shirtless photo that showed Lanez’s tattoo of an AK-47 assault rifle. The rapper’s legal team contends that displaying it to the jury violated California’s recently implemented Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act. This law places limitations on when prosecutors can utilize rap lyrics and other artistic forms as evidence in criminal cases.
Another issue the rapper’s lawyers want to address is a post on Lanez’s Instagram account that was allowed to be introduced into evidence during trial. The Instagram post was sent from Lanez’s personal account in September of 2020, and stated that Harris wasn’t the shooter.
The post was a contradiction to the rapper’s main defense that Harris had been in the car during the incident, and it contradicted the testimony of Lanez’s social media manager. Joshua Farias, the manager of Lanez’s Shade Room account, told Rolling Stone that he never posted the comment on that account.
The problems with the “evidence”
According to Lanez’s motion, Herriford erroneously allowed the Instagram post as evidence, and he didn’t give Lanez’s lawyers time to prepare an objection before trial. The judge’s erroneous decision violated state law that prosecutors must disclose evidence to the defense before trial, and it was “deeply harmful to [Lanez’s] case.”
A defense expert testified that Lanez’s DNA didn’t match those of any other people in the vehicle during the shooting, and the motion argued that the testing methods used by police were not industry-standard. That expert also said he didn’t believe Lanez’s DNA was on the gun’s magazine.
On Monday, April 10, Lanez’s attorneys will be arguing their case before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David J. Herriford, who will decide whether to deny or accept the motion and delay his sentencing until late April or early May.
The new legal team
Earlier this year, Lanez hired a new legal team including David Kenner and successfully delayed his sentencing until April so he could prep a motion for a new trial. His attorneys successfully lobbied Herriford to delay the date until they reviewed trial transcripts and prepared the motion.
The case has been closely watched by fans of both Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion, and the rapper is awaiting sentencing on Monday. If convicted on all counts, Lanez could potentially be sentenced to 22 years in prison, along with the possibility of deportation.
