Al Sharpton says “ridiculous” jury choice course of might “deprive A$AP Rocky of a good trial”
Civil Rights activist Al Sharpton has shared his ideas on A$AP Rocky‘s upcoming trial over a 2021 brawl with former good friend A$AP Relli.
Rocky (born Rakim Mayers) is at present on trial for 2 felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm following a November 2021 combat the place he allegedly fired photographs at his former good friend Relli (actual title Terell Ephron).
Sharpton took to X/Twitter to name out the jury choice course of after solely 4 Black folks had been chosen as attainable jurors for the New Yorker’s case, writing: “It has been delivered to my consideration by the [his civil rights organisation] Nationwide Motion Community’s Los Angeles workplace that out of 106 folks known as to probably sit as jurors in A$AP Rocky’s trial in Los Angeles, there are solely 4 Black folks.”
It has been delivered to my consideration, by the Nationwide Motion Community Los Angeles workplace, that out of 100 and 6 (106) folks known as to probably sit as jurors in A$AP Rocky’s trial in Los Angeles, there are solely 4 black folks.
I’ve been intently in contact with A$AP…
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) January 22, 2025
He continued: “I’ve been intently in contact with A$AP Rocky’s mates, and – although I have no idea the particulars of the trial – I do know he deserves to be judged pretty by his friends, as is his constitutional proper.”
“It’s completely ridiculous that the jury shall be not truthful and consultant, in order to deprive A$AP Rocky of a good trial,” Sharpton added. “When we’ve 4 black folks within the metropolis of Los Angeles, out of 106 — and precisely zero inside within the first 30 attainable candidates for the jury — one thing seems to be very improper with the system.”
He concluded by saying he’s “monitoring” the trial to “be sure that truthful and consultant justice is afforded to A$AP Rocky.”
The rapper’s authorized crew have but to lift any issues concerning the jury choice course of.
Rocky’s trial commenced on Friday (January 24) with a jury of seven women and five men, none of whom had been Black (per TMZ). The prosecution alleged the rapper “lured” Ephron to a road close to the W Lodge Hollywood in November 2021 to debate a disagreement, resulting in a bodily altercation the place Rocky pulled out a gun and shot at him, grazing his knuckles. The combat was caught on CCTV.
He entered a plea of not responsible to 2 felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and faces as much as 24 years in jail if convicted.
This week, Rocky rejected a plea deal the place he – as a substitute of going through 24 years incarcerated – can be sentenced to 3 years probation, a seven-year suspended jail sentence and 180 days in county jail. On the similar listening to, his legal professionals additionally stated they believed the gun in the surveillance footage to be a “prop gun.”
In different information, Rocky’s long-awaited fourth album ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ was alleged to be launched final August, however is ready to come back out someday this 12 months. Reportedly, he has delayed the file as a result of leaks.