The artist known as Tory Lanez, present in an L.A. court on Monday, anticipated his sentence for the offense of wounding fellow musician Megan Thee Stallion with a firearm in mid-2020.
However, a delay occurred after the lengthy legal affair, and the pronouncement of the sentence was deferred.
The rapper and his legal representation have been instructed to reappear in court on Tuesday morning, specifically at 10:30 a.m.
Having faced conviction on the twenty-third day of December in the previous year for the aforementioned crime against Megan Pete (her legal name), the 31-year-old Lanez had his sentencing rescheduled from January to later dates, due to legal complexities, including the acquisition of new counsel and an unsuccessful plea for retrial, which was dismissed in the month of May.
The individual, globally recognized as a contender for the esteemed Grammy award and legally referred to as Daystar Peterson, was found guilty on the same date in 2022 and now confronts a potential incarceration extending up to two decades, plus an additional eight months and twenty-two days.
In their pursuit of justice, the office of the District Attorney in Los Angeles moved forward in May, recommending that the court enforce a thirteen-year penal sentence upon the artist.
Moreover, the prosecution submitted an additional motion on the twenty-third of the same month, advocating for a more severe punishment under a fresh California statute, which could potentially place the sentence at the midpoint of the possible twenty-two years, barring proof of “aggravating circumstances.”
Documents presented by ABC News revealed that the prosecutors found such circumstances, highlighting the defendant’s alleged insensitivity.
Despite attempts to reach them, lawyers representing Lanez, namely Jose Baez and Matthew Barhoma, remained unresponsive to requests for comments from ABC News.
Charges against Lanez include three counts of wounding Megan by gunfire in both her feet during an event in Hollywood Hills on July 12, 2020.
A previous petition by Lanez for a retrial was dismissed by Judge David Herriford of Los Angeles’ Superior Court.
Initially indicted in October 2020, Lanez faced specific charges, as detailed in ABC News-obtained documents, related to assault with a semi-automatic weapon (personal utilization) and possession of an unregistered, loaded firearm inside a vehicle, along with a supplementary count of negligent firearm discharge.
The accused, who abstained from testifying, entered pleas of innocence to all charges.
The defense maintained that Lanez was not the responsible party.
George Mgdesyan, Lanez’s prior legal representative during the trial, conveyed the client’s dissatisfaction with the verdict and, on December 23, 2022, alluded to possible future actions, noting that “everything is on the table.”
In the broader social context, this incident has ignited fervent discussions about how women are treated, particularly emphasizing the intersection of racism and sexism that Black women endure both within their communities and in the broader society.
Subsequent to the trial’s conclusion, Pete, who took the stand and identified Lanez as her assailant, shared her thoughts on the occurrence in an interview for Elle magazine’s May 2023 cover, articulating her refusal to be labeled a victim.
She instead identified herself as a survivor, overcoming not just the physical assault by one she considered a friend but also public scorn and an assault on her character and reputation.
