Defense witness 12vvy begins testifying after prosecutors rest in A$AP Rocky's trial
You can watch the trial live on my YouTube channel today, including Deputy District Attorney John Lewin's upcoming cross-examination of Jamel "12vvy" Phillips.
The main defense witness in rapper Rakim “A$AP Rocky” Mayers’s gun assault trial is testifying today in Los Angeles.
Jamel “A$AP 12vvy” Phillips witnessed the Nov. 6, 2021, confrontation between Rocky and Terell “A$AP Relli” Ephron in Hollywood and will testify that Rocky used a prop gun and fired it twice only as a warning because Relli was attacking their friend Illijah “A$AP Illz” Ulanga.
A$AP stands for Always Strive And Prosper and is conglomerate of rappers, producers and other artists that formed in Harlem when Rocky and Relli were teenagers.
“I’ve been creating music with Rocky since we was about 16, 17, you feel me?” 12vvy testified just now in direct-exam from Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina.
Rocky went on to become an internationally famous rapper, and he remained close with his A$AP members and arranged the meeting with Relli after weeks of back and forth that included Relli overhearing Rocky criticizing him to another friend and Relli texting Rocky about it.
Rocky is charged with two counts of first-degree assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prosecutors say he pointed a gun at Relli and threatened hm, then fired two shots, one of which grazed Relli’s left knuckles.
The maximum sentence is 24 years in prison, but prosecutors say they’ll recommend less than that if Rocky is convicted. First they said 10 to 12 years, then on Monday they said eight to 10 years.
Deputy District Attorney John Lewin likely will cross-examine 12vvy like he did Wally Sajimi on Monday. I’m streaming the trial live on my YouTube channel. You can watch by clicking the video below. Tacopina began direct-exam about 10 minutes ago, at 10:10 a.m.
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