A$AP Rocky was arraigned once more on Monday in his gun assault case. The “Reward the Lord” rapper (actual identify: Rakim Mayers) entered a brand new not-guilty plea to prison prices that he allegedly fired a gun at his former good friend A$AP Relli on a Los Angeles avenue in November 2021.

A pre-trial convention is scheduled for March 6. A trial date has not but been set, however his legal professional, Joe Tacopina, informed reporters exterior the courtroom that he hoped it might start by September.

Tacopina additionally mentioned that Rocky “will not contemplate a plea deal” within the case. He added that his shopper is “cool as a cucumber” shifting towards the trial and is keen to get it “over with so he can begin having fun with his household.” Rocky and longtime love Rihanna are dad and mom to 2 younger sons, RZA, 1, and Riot, 5 months.

Here is every little thing we learn about his case, from what allegedly went right down to how a lot jail time Rocky’s going through. Plus, a disaster PR professional weighs in on the optics, suggesting singer/trend mogul Rihanna ought to “steer clear” of the trial.

Why is A$AP Rocky in courtroom?

The 35-year-old performer appeared at Clara Shortridge Foltz Legal Justice Middle in Los Angeles on Jan. 8 to be rearraigned within the prison case. The fees stem from the Nov. 6, 2021, taking pictures of A$AP Relli (actual identify: Terell Ephron), a former good friend and collaborator, exterior a Hollywood lodge.

Rocky initially pleaded not responsible to 2 counts of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm in 2022 after his arrest. He was launched on $550,000 bail. In November, there was a preliminary listening to, which outlined the proof, at which Rocky appeared. The choose dominated that there was sufficient proof to go to trial, which is why he was rearraigned.

Rocky’s legal professional Tacopina, who additionally represents Donald Trump, has maintained his shopper’s innocence, beforehand saying, “I’m sure Rocky shall be vindicated of all of this.”

What proof is there thus far?

• Relli testified on the preliminary listening to that he and Rocky, mates for years, had a falling out over the loss of life of one other good friend. They agreed to speak face-to-face, he mentioned. He claimed that Rocky, who got here with two different males, pulled a gun on him exterior a parking storage on Hollywood Boulevard and threatened to kill him. He acknowledged he “was speaking a bunch of shit” again. He claimed Rocky finally fired 4 or 5 photographs at him earlier than all of them fled.

• Relli — who sustained minor accidents, with the knuckles of a number of fingers skinned uncooked by the photographs — mentioned he returned to the crime scene an hour later and retrieved two 9mm shell casings. He waited two days to name the police — explaining that he waited to safe a lawyer first — and turned over the casings to authorities. The casings did not have recoverable fingerprints.

• Prosecutors confirmed surveillance footage, exhibiting scenes earlier than and after the alleged taking pictures.

• Rocky’s legal professional Tacopina tried to solid doubt on the allegations, mentioning the truth that Relli waited to contact the police. He pointed to officers failing to uncover a 9mm pistol, together with whereas executing a search warrant at Rocky’s house. He additionally confirmed physique digicam footage of officers unsuccessfully trying to find shell casings on the crime scene.

• Decide Mary Lou Villar de Longoria dominated that the case would go to trial. In a preliminary listening to, the usual of proof is decrease than at a prison trial, with the choose figuring out provided that there’s sufficient proof and adequate possible trigger to consider the defendant dedicated the crime.

How a lot jail time does A$AP Rocky face?

If convicted on all prices, the two-time Grammy nominee faces as much as 24 years in jail.

Would this be his first time being incarcerated?

No, the Harlem native was arrested at age 16 on tried homicide prices, he has mentioned. He spent two weeks within the infamous Rikers Island, however the prices ended up being diminished (resulting from it being a first-time offense and his age) and he was bailed out.

In 2019, Rocky was arrested for assault in Stockholm, Sweden, the place he was performing, after a avenue dispute involving him and two members of his entourage with two different males. The rapper, who maintained that he was being adopted and harassed by the alleged victims earlier than the combat, spent a month in jail. The case drew nationwide consideration, and he was lastly launched previous to the decision. Whereas he was discovered responsible, he wasn’t sentenced to extra jail time.

Will this conclude his authorized troubles tied to the taking pictures?

No, Rocky additionally has civil lawsuits pending in opposition to him. Relli filed a lawsuit in August 2022 alleging assault, battery and emotional misery by Rocky. In that matter, Rocky is represented by Tacopina and O.J. Simpson trial legal professional Robert Shapiro; Relli is represented by Camille Vasquez, who was on Johnny Depp’s authorized group in his civil go well with in opposition to Amber Heard.

Rocky’s authorized group denied “every allegation of the grievance.” The following listening to for that’s Jan. 18 at Spring Avenue Courthouse in L.A.

Relli has a second civil go well with, filed in September, in opposition to Tacopina — with Rocky as a co-defendant — alleging defamation. The following listening to for that, a case administration convention, is Tuesday at Stanley Mosk Courthouse in L.A.

How does this affect Rocky’s public picture?

As his legal professional famous, Rocky cannot wait to place this behind him. The legal professional additionally famous that he filed paperwork in order that Rocky would not have to attend each listening to within the prison case, making it much less disruptive of his private life and profession. However make no mistake, it is having a big effect.

“Social expectations round celebrities and social causes and points have developed, and there’s a greater expectation throughout the board for anybody with a following,” Ronn Torossian, founder and chairman of PR agency 5W Public Relations, tells Yahoo. “Though there’s a diploma to which followers are keen to miss a scandal, based mostly on the person’s reputation, their previous actions and the severity of the allegations.”

Torossian, whose agency provides disaster PR administration, believes Rocky’s group has been profitable in preserving the publicity round this prison case “at bay” thus far. “This lack of consideration, alongside together with his relationship with Rihanna — who’s beloved and extremely revered — actually does rather a lot to maintain his profession intact.”

Ought to we count on to see Rihanna in courtroom?

Whereas Marvel star Jonathan Majors’s girlfriend, actress Meagan Goode, lately supported him all through his home violence trial, at which he was discovered responsible of harassment and assault, do not count on Rihanna to do the identical for Rocky when the case goes to trial later this 12 months.

The “Umbrella” songstress’s look within the courtroom would solely “draw extra consideration to the trial,” Torossian says. Apart from, “It is not unusual for her to keep away from public appearances” basically.

To date, she hasn’t appeared at any of the hearings associated to this case.

“Given her two younger youngsters, it might not going draw criticism if she selected to not attend the trial,” Torossian says. “Due to this fact, it could be greatest for her to keep away from this explicit public look.”

—Extra reporting by Taryn Ryder