Tory Lanez Files Motion for New Trial in Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case
Canadian rapper Tory Lanez has recently filed a motion for a new trial in the ongoing Megan Thee Stallion shooting case.
The controversial case, which has gained significant media attention, involves allegations of Lanez shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot following a heated argument in July 2020.
In October 2020, authorities charged Tory Lanez with one count of assault with a semiautomatic weapon and one count of carrying a live, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. The artist pleaded not guilty to the charges and has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings.
The legal representatives of the rapper—Jose Baez and Matthew Barhoma—have submitted documentation to Rolling Stone stating various reasons for a retrial.
One of the arguments is the judge’s supposed error in allowing jurors access to a social media post, allegedly compromising the fairness of the trial that concluded in December.
Tory Lanez has requested a new trial in Megan Thee Stallion shooting case, after being found guilty in December. pic.twitter.com/yAMwQZ5TJt
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 30, 2023
Events Leading Up to This Moment
In September 2020, Tory Lanez allegedly posted on his personal Instagram account. He was claiming Kelsey Harris, previously a close friend of Megan Thee Stallion but is now estranged, was not the one who fired the shots.
The motion for retrial filed by Joshua Farias, Lanez’s content creator, asserts that he managed Lanez’s Instagram account at the time. He claimed he was the one who responded to a comment on The Shade Room’s post saying, “People saying Kelsey shot her” with the words, “That’s not true.”
Lanez’s legal team argues that the prosecution caught them off guard by presenting the Instagram post during the trial and that they needed more time to determine the author of the response.
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The rapper, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, and his attorneys argue that the post constituted an implicit admission by Peterson that Kelsey did not shoot the gun.
Peterson’s defense was based on the claim that Kelsey fired the shots that wounded Megan Pete, also known as Megan Thee Stallion—an accusation that both Kelsey and Pete denied during the trial.
The new motion filed by Peterson’s legal team states that “the court made multiple errors of law by permitting the prosecution to introduce this post, thus denying the defendant a fair trial.” The motion calls for a new trial as the only appropriate remedy for this miscarriage of justice.
In December, the jury found Tory Lanez guilty of all three charges against him and could face up to 22 years in prison upin sentencing.
Trial Review
At a hearing in January, Peterson’s previous legal team requested a delay in his sentencing until April. This is to review trial transcripts and prepare a motion.
The case has been controversial, with conflicting reports and public statements. Despite this, the jury found him guilty of the charges in November 2021 and was sentenced to prison for two years and eight months.
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However, Lanez has now filed a motion for a new trial. Lanez was claiming that new evidence has come to light that could prove his innocence.
Prosecutors will submit a response to the new motion before the scheduled hearing on April 10. It will coincide with Peterson’s sentencing date.
It is still unclear whether the court will grant Lanez’s motion for a new trial. But the case continues to generate controversy and public interest.
The allegations of violence against women and the use of firearms have led to broader conversations about the intersections of hip-hop culture, gun violence, and gender-based violence.
