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A$AP Rocky was in court on Monday for the judge’s decision
A Los Angeles judge has ruled that rapper A$AP Rocky will stand trial in 2021 on charges of assaulting a former childhood friend with a firearm.
The decision was made during the second day of a preliminary hearing on Monday, which was attended by A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Meyers.
Prosecutors say Mr. Meyers, 35, pointed a handgun at Terrell Efron and opened fire, causing minor injuries.
Mr Meyers, who has two children with singer Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty.
The Grammy-nominated Mr. Meyers, who has had two U.S. number one albums, faces two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.
If found guilty, he could face up to nine years in prison.
Mr Efron, who was part of the A$AP Mob hip-hop group and has known them since they were in New York high school, has separately alleged in a lawsuit that he faces charges of assault and battery, negligence and emotional distress. Are victims. ,
Mr. Efron, known as A$AP Reilly, says Mr. Meyers “lured” him to an undisclosed location outside the W Hotel in Hollywood, Los Angeles on November 6, 2021, to discuss the disagreement.
CCTV footage of the alleged attack played in court showed Mr. Meyers brandishing a gun and firing, an L.A. detective testified earlier this month.
Mr Meyers’ lawyers deny that it is his client who is seen in the video holding the gun and firing.
Superior Court Judge ML Villar had to decide only whether there was enough evidence to proceed with the case, not whether a crime had been committed. The burden of proof is much lower for such preliminary hearings.
Mr. Efron is also suing Mr. Meyers, claiming that after a verbal altercation Mr. Meyers “pulled out a handgun and intentionally pointed it in the direction of (Mr. Efron) and fired several shots”.
According to court documents, Mr. Efron suffered a “bullet shell/shrapnel injury” to his left arm and required medical attention. He is seeking at least $25,000 (£20,000) in damages.
At a court hearing in August 2022, the judge ordered Mr. Meyers to stay 100 yards (300 feet) away from Mr. Efron at all times.
Mr Meyers was previously given a two-year suspended sentence for his role in a brawl in Stockholm, Sweden in August 2019.
He is being represented in the Los Angeles case by attorney Joe Tacopina, who is also representing former President Donald Trump in a New York civil fraud trial.
As A$AP Rocky, he was one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2010s, earning eight platinum singles in the US, including Wild for the Night, Everyday, LSD and A$AP Forever.
He rose to fame after being championed by Drake and has worked with artists such as Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez, and Kendrick Lamar.