A$AP Rocky decides not to testify in gun assault trial

A$AP Rocky has decided not to instrumentality the stand during his felony weapon battle trial.

The 36-year-old rapper told the justice Tuesday helium would invoke his Fifth Amendment close to soundlessness earlier the defence rested its case.

“I privation my close to not testify,” Rocky said.

While the prosecution whitethorn telephone a past rebuttal witness, closing arguments are acceptable to statesman connected Thursday.

Rocky’s lawyer had previously said his lawsuit was “eager to archer his story” and “would emotion the accidental to bash so,” but acknowledged that it was a gamble to permission Rocky unfastened to cross-examination by prosecutors.

Rocky, whose ineligible sanction is Rakim Mayers, apt would person testified that the weapon helium fired doubly during a 2021 Hollywood scuffle with erstwhile person A$AP Relli was a starter pistol that lone fired blanks. His lawyers person claimed that helium lone carried the weapon for information purposes.

Tour manager Lou Levin testified that Rocky got the phony firearm from a euphony video director, saying helium and information told the rapper it made consciousness to transportation the weapon aft Rocky’s location was breached into by a stalker.

“It’s conscionable a nonlethal signifier of self-defense,” Levin said.

Prosecutors meantime allege the rapper fired a 9mm pistol astatine Relli, and 2 witnesses antecedently testified astir the firearm’s capabilities.

The weapon was ne'er recovered by investigators. Levin said it had been returned to the euphony video’s co-director aft the incidental with Relli, but that the manager nary longer had it erstwhile Levin asked astir it pursuing Rocky’s arrest.

The hip-hop prima turned down a pre-trial plea deal that would person resulted successful lone 180 days successful jail. He present faces up to 24 years successful situation if recovered blameworthy of two counts of battle with a semiautomatic firearm.