Allegations were made against A$AP Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, that a firearm was discharged in the direction of his former associate, and childhood friend, Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli. The incident in question occurred close to a hotel in Hollywood during November of 2021. Five months after the alleged offense, Mr. Mayers was taken into custody at the Los Angeles International Airport in April 2022.
A$AP Rocky faced charges of felony assault with a semi-automatic firearm, and if he had been convicted, he could have received up to 24 years in prison—a sentence nearly as long as some would receive for murder. Another important issue of all this was a simple legal question: What is a firearm?
The plaintiff alleged that the Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist shot a gun during a public argument in Hollywood on November 6, 2021. Ephron claims he was injured when one of the gun's bullets grazed his knuckles and that A$AP Rocky is responsible for his pain and suffering.
Mr. Mayers, a well-known fashion mogul and long-time companion of pop star Rihanna, rejected the claims, asserting that the gun in question was a prop and maintained that the individual who confronted him in public, and identifies himself as A$AP Relli, was motivated solely by the prospect of making money.
The eight days of testimony included five witnesses, two of whom were law enforcement professionals. A police detective, along with a firearms expert, also provided testimony. LAPD Detective Frank Flores was responsible for presenting the evidence surrounding the incident, which he told the court had been studied in great detail. He and his team of detectives had gone over the surveillance footage with a fine-tooth comb, as well as the audio recordings of the gunfire and other key pieces of evidence. Flores said the evidence led him to conclude that there was a shooting.
The prosecution called an expert witness to testify about firearms and ammunition. The expert conducted an extensive analysis of the ammunition found in connection with the shooting incident allegedly involving A$AP Rocky and his former childhood associate A$AP Relli. The defense argued that the rapper was in possession of a prop firearm and not a functional weapon that could shoot live ammunition.
Without the item in custody to examine, the expert witnesses lost much of their potency. The prosecution's theory required the item to have been discharged, but law enforcement was unable to find definitive evidence to back up that theory. The sound was not enough to prove the point. Even though there is video evidence and a witness claims to have found discharged cartridge cases, that evidence does not add up to enough certainty to say, "Yes, this happened; and if it happened, then this must be the cause."
The Gun Control Act provides a broad definition of firearms that is set down in the criminal code. It includes a number of devices that don't exactly fit the 'standard' firearm mold but that most people would recognize as dangerous. What follows is a list of those devices, taken directly from the law.
Thus, what counts as a firearm for one statutory reason might—or might not—count as a firearm for another reason. Both the National Firearms Act (NFA) and the Gun Control Act (GCA) legally classify a silencer as a "firearm" (even when considered apart from what is typically regarded as a firearm). That said, a sawed-off twelve-gauge shotgun made in 1898 qualifies as a firearm under the NFA but does not under the GCA.
Deciding if something is a gun and which kind, specifically, can be a real headache. Take the case of an object that looks like a gun but doesn't shoot. If it doesn't shoot, can it really be a firearm?
In such instances, the classification remains contingent. Even a starter pistol may be classified as a firearm under the law if it "may readily be converted" to discharge projectiles (for example, by drilling the barrel).
On the other hand, some objects that look like guns and can send things flying—such as pellet guns—aren't legally defined as firearms. They work by compressed air, not "the action of an explosive," and therefore don't count as "firearms."
‘Not Guilty’
A not guilty verdict ruled by the Los Angeles jury on the two felony assault charges allowed Mr. Mayers to return to his previously secure life and triggered scenes of jubilation in the court with A$AP jumping over benches to hug his family.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH-qS5a9OJk
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