Today pitchfork.com has reported that Tory Lanez’s trial began today in Los Angeles. The Canadian rapper and singer is facing charges related to July 2020 incident where he is accused of allegedly shooting artist Megan Thee Stallion. If convicted on all three felony counts, Lanez could face more than 20 years in prison.
Lanez has allegedly pleaded not guilty to the charges. Neither artist took the stand today but Megan will allegedly give her testimony tomorrow.
During his opening arguments, Los Angeles County’s deputy district attorney, Alexander Bott, told jurors that Megan Thee Stallion was allegedly shot by Lanez and Kelsey Harris ,Megan’s former friend and assistant, was allegedly with the two musicians before, during and after the shooting.
“Kelsey will tell you that she just saw her close friend get shot by the defendant,” Bott said, reportedly revealing that Harris will take the stand. In the courtroom prosecutors allegedly showed a visual of three text messages that Harris allegedly said to have sent to Megan’s bodyguard Justin Edison in the five minutes following the shooting: “Help,” “Tory Shot Meg” and “911.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Bott allegedly played portion of a voicemail in which Lanez allegedly apologized and acknowledged he was drunk at the time of the shooting but allegedly did not admit to discharging the gun. Also Bott allegedly shared a text that Lanez sent Megan, reading, “I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart… shit should have never happened and I can’t change what I did.”
Lanez’s defense attorney, George G. Mgdesyan, allegedly framed his opening statement around the alleged “jealousy” between Megan Thee Stallion and Kelsey Harris, who he allegedly claims both had sexual relationships with Lanez. Mgdesyan also allegedly said Megan and Lanez started fighting during a party at Kylie Jenner’s house and that Corey Gamble, who allegedly witnessed some of the argument, will take the stand.
Lanez was arrested in July 2020 on a concealed firearm charge, which was later escalated to include charges for assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. As trial proceedings began earlier this month prosecutors added another felony charge for discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner.
Megan Thee Stallion named Lanez as her alleged assailant one month after she claimed she had been shot in the foot. She allegedly further detailed the experience and her injuries in an April 2022 interview with Gayle King.
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