A$AP Rocky has received the start date for his trial in connection to a November 2021 shooting incident in Los Angeles.
On Thursday (May 23), Hot97 reported he’s set to face trial on October 21 of this year after pleading not guilty to two counts of assault involving a semi-automatic firearm. The trial date follows a series of legal proceedings stemming from an alleged incident in which Rocky allegedly pointed and fired a semi-automatic handgun at his former friend and collaborator A$AP Relli outside a Hollywood hotel.
A pair of preliminary hearing dates were also scheduled for June 28 and August 2 by Superior Court Judge Karla Kerlin. According to reports, Rocky wasn’t present in court when his pre-trial and trial dates were announced.
The case saw significant developments over in recent months. Last November, Superior Court Judge ML Villar ruled that there was sufficient evidence for A$AP Rocky to stand trial, despite his attorney’s attempts to raise doubts. Rocky reaffirmed his not guilty plea in January and his lawyer Joe Tacopina argued that his client was the real victim in the incident and aimed for a swift trial.
During preliminary hearings for the case, footage of the incident was reviewed and confirmed there was a scuffle, but it didn’t clearly show the shooting. Relli testified that during the confrontation, Rocky allegedly said, “I’ll kill you right now,” before firing a shot that grazed Relli’s hand. He alleges Rocky also fired two or three more times before fleeing.
Tacopina previously emphasized the desire to avoid delays, initially targeting a September trial start. He expressed confidence that the trial would reveal Rocky’s innocence and allow him to move on with his family, which includes his two children with longtime partner Rihanna.
“We’re going to try the case in the courtroom,” Tacopina told reporters, per Courthouse News Service. “And when we do, facts will come out that show that he’s truly innocent. And that he’s a victim in this case.”
In addition to the criminal charges, Relli has also sued A$AP Rocky for assault and defamation, accusing him and Tacopina of branding him as a blackmailer in the press. Watch the footage previously shown in the preliminary court hearings last year above.
