LOS ANGELES – Jurors begin deliberations on Thursday Trial of rapper Tory LanezWho is accused of shooting and wounding hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the legs.
The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for just over three hours after hearing the final part of the defense’s closing arguments and a brief rebuttal from Los Angeles County prosecutors that began a day earlier.
They did not reach a decision and will return Friday to resume talks on three felony counts brought against the 30-year-old Canadian rapper: grossly negligent discharge of a firearm, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and possession of a loaded firearm. Vehicle carrying unregistered firearms. The counts could lead to up to 22 years in prison and deportation for Lenz, who has pleaded not guilty.
Megan Thee Stallion, 27, whose legal name is Megan Pete, testified that Lenz fired a handgun While backing away from the SUV they were riding in the Hollywood Hills in the summer of 2020, she sat behind his feet and screamed for him to dance. He required surgery to remove bullet fragments from his leg.
In closing arguments, prosecutors emphasized the courage it took her to come forward and the ordeal she faced for it. He said he had no incentive to tell anything but the truth.
Lenz’s attorney alleged in his closing that the shots were actually fired by Megan’s then-best friend, Kelsey Harris, at Lenz in a jealous fight, who tried to stop the shooting. The attorney, George Magdesyan, alleged that Megan created a more sympathetic story by pinning the shooting on Lenz.
Harris denies being the shooter and has been previously identified Lenz as Gunman, Her attorney, in an email, declined to comment on her involvement.
The jury on Thursday was asked to read testimony from the only eyewitness to the shooting who was not directly involved, a man on a nearby balcony who was with his children at the time and said his concerns for their safety prompted him to Kept away watching closely.
Sean Kelly was called by the defence, but both sides argued that his account favored him. He said he saw muzzle flashes that appeared to be coming from a woman, but also said he saw a smaller man “firing everywhere.” The two rappers arrived separately for Lanez’s trial at a Los Angeles courthouse. He is accused of shooting in the leg.
Lanez—whose legal name is Daystar Peterson—began releasing mixtapes in 2009 and has seen a steady rise in popularity leading to major-label albums. His last two reached the top 10 on the Billboard charts.
Megan Thee Stallion was already a major rising star at the time of the shooting, and has grown in prominence since then. She won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2021, and had a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with her own song “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “Wap.” .