Rapper Tory Lanez, who was convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet after a party in 2020, has been denied a new trial by a Los Angeles judge. Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, faces up to 22 years in prison and deportation to Canada for his crimes.
Lanez and his lawyers had filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that evidence was wrongly admitted at the trial and that his previous attorney made mistakes in his defense. They also claimed that DNA evidence and an Instagram post used by the prosecution were unreliable and prejudicial.
However, Judge David Herriford rejected their arguments on Tuesday, saying that the exclusion of the disputed evidence would not have changed the outcome of the trial. He also refused to allow Lanez’s lawyers to present an elaborate presentation with witnesses and audiovisuals, saying that they had to stick to the legal issues raised in their motion.
Lanez was found guilty in December of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. He was accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, in the back of her feet as she walked away from an SUV they had been riding in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020.
Megan testified that Lanez fired at her and shouted for her to dance. She also said that he tried to persuade her not to report the incident to the police, saying that he was on parole and would be in trouble. Lanez denied shooting Megan and claimed that he was innocent.
Lanez’s lawyers said they plan to appeal the verdict to a higher court. No sentencing date has been set for Lanez, who remains in jail.
