Lawyers representing Tory Lanez filed their opening brief to appeal his shooting conviction in Los Angeles County on Monday (February 26). The incarcerated rapper, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, said the court “impermissibly chilled” his right to testify in his 2022 trial.
“The jury did not hear Peterson’s account regarding the night in question because the court ruled that, if he testified, prosecutors could introduce his music video and rap lyrics during cross-examination,” his attorneys contended. “Counsel argued that the rap lyrics could not be used as evidence against Peterson. Nevertheless, the court stated: “’If your client testifies, I’ll have to take it on a case-by-case basis. But, essentially, anything pertaining to this case, obviously, is fair game.’”
The lawyers continued, “This error drastically prejudiced Peterson because it wrongfully induced him to waive his constitutional right to present his version of events and to allow the jury to see him as Daystar, and not the violent person acting out the literal and grotesque butchering of his accuser, as painted by the People. error drastically prejudiced Peterson because it wrongfully induced him to waive his constitutional right to present his version of events and to allow the jury to see him as Daystar, and not the violent person acting out the literal and grotesque butchering of his accuser, as painted by the People. This error caused Peterson to surrender his constitutional right to testify in his own defense.”
Last year, Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. He was convicted of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Judge David Herriford rejected the Canadian rapper/singer’s motion for a new trial.
Meghann Cuniff, who has extensively covered Tory Lanez’s case, shared his legal team’s 103-page opening brief via her newsletter. Prosecutors were asked to respond to the brief by March 27.