Rihanna is showing up for her partner as he faces up to 24 years in prison.
A$AP Rocky is currently on trial after being accused of firing a semi-automatic handgun at his former friend and collaborator A$AP Relli during an altercation in November 2021.
As previously reported, during the jury selection process, potential jurors were asked about both Rocky and his longtime love, Rihanna. The questions reportedly included whether they’ve heard of either star, listened to their music, or downloaded any of their songs. The prosecution also asked the jury pool if they could come to a fair and impartial verdict if Rihanna was sitting in the courtroom–and now, that hypothetical has come true.
On Wednesday, Jan. 29, the Fenty founder was present for the rapper’s ongoing trial, according to reports from the LA Times, which marks the first time she has expressed public support for Rocky since the legal case began. She reportedly watched “intently” as her boyfriend’s accuser, Terell Ephron–a co-founder of ASAP Mob–testified that he met up with Rocky in Hollywood on Nov. 6, 2021, in the hopes of fixing their broken friendship. Ephron said he was hoping to squash their beef on the night of the shooting, but Rocky showed up with two other members of the ASAP crew and immediately sparked a confrontation.
“It was all like a movie … just the way he was walking … the whole thing caught me off guard, like there was no time to talk,” Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, said on the stand, per the LA Times.
Prosecutors have accused Rocky of shooting at Ephron, who suffered a graze wound on his hand. The rapper is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and faces a sentencing enhancement for using a gun in the alleged crime. He has pleaded not guilty, with lawyers claiming the gun used in the encounter was a music video prop incapable of firing real bullets.
A$AP Rocky turned down a plea deal from prosecutors on Jan. 21, opting for a jury trial instead of pleading guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He faces up to 24 years in prison if found guilty.