2025 Year In Review: From A$AP Rocky to Karen Read and Donna Adelson, here are my top cases
This was the year of my YouTube channel, which is growing into a major operation. This Substack will grow with it in 2026.
I enjoyed a busy year reporting on trials across the United States, from Karen Read’s murder trial in Massachusetts to Cardi B’s civil assault trial in California.
My YouTube channel is approaching 70,000 subscribers, and I expect this growth will continue as network television viewership continues to decrease and more people turn to YouTube for news and entertainment, including the Oscars’ switch from ABC to YouTube in 2029.
I’ve long known that my profession hasn’t made good use of the fact that so many high-profile trials are streamed online, with every second of the public proceedings available to watch at any time. I’m working to make all my platforms a go-to news source for these trials, including by making short clips of big trial moments and writing video descriptions and captions that could stand alone as news articles.
You can find everything on my YouTube channel and Facebook page, and you can find all short clips on my Instagram and TikTok pages.
Legal Affairs and Trials with Meghann Cuniff is a reader-supported project that utilizes my 20 years of reporting experience in traditional media to bring you in-depth news about major legal issues. If you want to support my work, consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
In 2026, you can expect to read more in this Substack about the trials I’m covering through video on my social media platforms, including daily testimony round ups.
In the meantime, here is the news that highlighted my 2025, in chronological order:
People v. Rakim Mayers
On Feb. 18, a jury in Los Angeles County, California, acquitted rapper A$AP Rocky, legal name Rakim Mayers, of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for an altercation in November 2021 with his former friend Terell “A$AP Relli” Ephron.
Rocky’s defense was that he fired a fake gun as a warning because Relli was attacking their friend. Superstar singer Rihanna, Rocky’s girlfriend and the mother of his now three children, attended the trial, including on some days with their two toddler sons.
As the verdict was read, Rocky leapt from the defense table into the courtroom gallery and onto Rihanna’s lap to celebrate.
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Feb. 18 Jury acquits A$AP Rocky in gun assault trial as courtroom erupts in cheers
Feb. 12 As trial closes, A$AP Rocky’s defense says fake gun ejected shell casings, too
United States v. Thomas Girardi
On June 3, a federal judge in Los Angeles sentenced ex-lawyer Tom Girardi, husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne and the former titan of the national plaintiff’s bar, to 7 1/4 years in prison for defrauding clients.
U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton acknowledged Girardi’s age and health by reducing his sentencing range under the federal guidelines from 135-168 months to 87-108 months, but she said he deserved no less after he “spent many years robustly living the high life with the victims’ money.”
Judge Staton rejected the defense argument that he should be sentenced to home confinement because of his deteriorating mental condition, which the judge has long said he is exaggerating.
Girardi, 86, surrendered to the Bureau of Prisons on July 17.
He’s incarcerated at the Terminal Island prison near Los Angeles, and his release date is listed as Aug. 1, 2031.
United States v. Michael Avenatti
On June 12, imprisoned lawyer and former cable news darling Michael Avenatti was resentenced in his federal fraud case in California to 95 months in prison.
The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in October 2024 that the 14-year sentence Senior U.S. District Judge James V. Selna imposed on Avenatti in December 2022 should have been concurrent with Avenatti’s sentence out of the Southern District of New York for defrauding Stephanie “Stormy Daniels” Clifford, the pornographic star client who propelled him to fame in 2018.
The appellate ruling vacated the sentence and ordered Judge Selna to consider the value of the legal services Avenatti provided the clients whom he pleaded guilty to defrauding. Selna planned to resentence Avenatti to 81 months, but he increased the sentence to 95 months after hearing from one of his client victims, Alexis Gardner.
Avenatti’s current release date is Sept. 8, 2028, according to the Bureau of Prisons. He’s at the same prison as Girardi on Terminal Island in San Pedro, California.
Commonwealth v. Karen Read
On June 19, a jury in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, acquitted a 45-year-old woman accused of murdering her boyfriend by backing into him with her car.
Karen Read was convicted of drunken driving but acquitted of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence and leaving the scene. Her case became an Internet sensation, and Read developed a large following of supporters who protested her prosecution and loudly cheered her acquittal.
Cheers from protestors outside the courthouse were heard inside the courtroom as Judge Beverly Cannone’s clerk read the verdict aloud and it became clear Read was not guilty of all charges related to the Jan. 29, 2022, death of John O’Keefe, an off-duty Boston Police Department officer who was found dead in the snow outside the home of Brian Albert, a Boston police detective.
Read’s defense was that Albert and Brian Higgins, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent, killed O’Keefe, and Read was framed as part of a broad Massachusetts law enforcement conspiracy.
O’Keefe’s family is suing Read for wrongfully causing his death. Read has her own cliams alleging against investigators and others, including Albert and Higgins, alleging malicious prosecution and civil conspiracy.
United States v. Sean Combs
On July 2, a federal jury in Manhattan convicted Sean “Diddy” Combs of transportation for prostitution but acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in October sentenced him to 50 months in prison.
I covered the trial extensively from Los Angeles using the daily transcripts, and I traveled to New York City to watch it in person for a few days.
I had to pay a line-sitting service just for a chance at getting in the courtroom, and it was overall a miserable time, but it was worth seeing it all in person, including meeting Diddy’s lawyer Brian Steel, who also represents rapper Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams.
Previous articles:
June 29 Diddy trial jury has hundreds of hours of ‘date night’ or ‘freak off’ videos in evidence
June 16 Juror in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial dismissed over conflicting statements
June 9 Ex-girlfriend testifies about alleged post-raid sex trafficking by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
June 1 After graphic testimony, Diddy’s defense asks alleged victim Mia about public praise
May 28 Capricorn Clark testifies about Diddy’s gunpoint quest to kill Kid Cudi
May 23 Rapper Kid Cudi testifies in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial about 2012 Porsche torching
Gary Franklin v. Mark Geragos
On July 16, a Los Angeles County jury awarded $100,000 in damages in a malpractice lawsuit against prominent celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos that said he conspired with Avenatti at the expense of a client’s legal claims against sports apparel giant Nike.
However, the jury also said Geragos didn’t cause harm, and the trial judge ruled in September that Geragos doesn’t owe anything.
The plaintiff was Avenatti’s former client Gary Franklin, who sought millions of dollars from Geragos for his work with Avenatti in the negotiations with Nike executives in 2019 that led to Avenatti being convicted of three federal felonies.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Steve Cochran signed a judgment on Sept. 16 that cleared Geragos of all claims and said Franklin “shall recover nothing.”
Emani Ellis v. Belaclis Almanzar
On Sept. 2, a Los Angeles County jury cleared rapper Cardi B, legal name Belcalis Almanzar of civil assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims related to a dispute with a security guard at a medical center in 2018.
Emani Ellis claimed Cardi assaulted her by scratching her face with a long fingernail during a dispute at Beverly Hills obstetrics and gynecology center in 2018 when Ellis was working security and Cardi was there for a pregnancy check up.
The clips from the trial went mega viral on TikTok and Instagram. Some are still getting views and comments right now. And there’s more news on the way: Cardi’s lawyers asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ian C. Fusselman to sanction Ellis’ lawyer Ron Rosen Janfaza for misconduct in trial, including by asking Cardi if she was affiliated with gangs and referencing alleged facts not in evidence during his closing argument.
I attended the Dec. 5 hearing and took copious notes that I’ll use in my article on Fusselman’s ruling, which should be issued soon.
State v. Donna Adelson
On Sept. 9, a jury in Tallahassee, Florida, convicted a 75-year-old man of the 2014 contract murder of her former son-in-law.
Donna Adelson was the fourth person prosecuted for Dan Markel’s fatal shooting by hitmen. Markel’s murder one of the most prolific cases in the true crime TV genre over the last 10 years, and my coverage of Adelson’s eight-day trial grew my channel significantly.
She was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and solicitation of first-degree murder, and Judge Stephen Everett in Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit sentenced her to ife in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 30 years.
State v. Alicia Andrews
On Oct. 31, a jury in Tampa, Florida, convicted a 22-year-old woman of manslaughter for the fatal shooting of a rapper who was involved in what prosecutors described as a years-long gang war that included songs and music videos celebrating violence and mocking death.
Manslaughter was included as a lesser charge to the first-degree murder charge against Alicia Andrews. Jurors also acquitted her of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
The verdict is an overall loss for prosecutors, who argued Andrews helped plan Charles “Julio Foolio” Jones Jr.’s murder with her gang member boyfriend, Isaiah Chance.
Chance is in jail awaiting trial with codefendants Sean Gathright, Rashad Murphy and Davion Murphy. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty against Andrews like they are against the four men, but they sought convictions that would have ensured she never leaves prison.
Instead, Andrews faces a maximum of 15 years in Florida state prison. Sentencing had been scheduled for Dec. 8, but it was vacated as Andrews’ lawyer Jeremy McLymont appeals Judge Michelle Sisco’s rejection of his motion to recuse her for comments and adverse actions against the defense in trial that McLymont argues shows bias.
Megan Pete v. Milagro Cooper
On Dec. 1, a federal jury in Miami, Florida, found online commentator Milagro Cooper liable for defaming rapper Megan Thee Stallion and promoting a digitally altered sexual depiction of her.
Jurors also found Milagro liable for intentionally inflicting emotional distress on Megan by coordinating with Daystar “Tory Lanez” Peterson, who is serving 10 years in prison in California for shooting Megan and injuring her feet in 2020.
Jurors awarded $75,000 in damages, including $50,000 for the video, but damages dropped to $59,000 after U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonga declined to enter judgment for the defamation claim because jurors also said Milagro should be treated as a media defendant and Megan’s lawyers didn’t serve her with a cease-and-desist notice before they sued her as Florida law requires.
Megan is seeking a permanent injunction against Milagro that would require her to delete old posts and audio records. She’s also challenging that decision with new lawyers who include Roberta Kaplan of Hecker Fink LLP. I’ll have more on that next week.
What’s ahead in 2026?
Cases I’m following in 2026 include rapper Lil Durk’s federal murder-for-hire case in Los Angeles and the capital murder case in Utah against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson.
Two cases involve Read’s lawyer Alan Jackson, who developed a large fan base in Massachusetts defending Read but is based in Los Angeles and is representing defendants in two high-profile cases I’m watching in 2026.
One is Nick Reiner for the murders of his parents, film director and producer Rob and Michele Reiner. The other is Fraser Michael Bohm, who was 22 years old when he crashed his BMW on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu late on Oct. 17, 2023.
Bohm’s BMW struck parked cars that hit and killed Niamh Rolston, 20; Peyton Stewart, 21; Asha Weir, 21; and Deslyn Williams, 21. Rolston, Stewart, Weir and Williams were students at Pepperdine University in Malibu and members of the Alpha Phi sorority. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson in Van Nuys rejected Jackson’s dismissal motion on Nov. 12.
My Substack subscribers (you!) can expect coverage of those cases and more, including Read’s malicious prosecution lawsuit and the wrongful death suit against her.
Everyone is invited to follow me on all social media platforms to track all my work. Thank you for your support, and I wish us all a fun and productive 2026.
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