Tory Lanez continues to fight for his freedom after being convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2020.
The rapper, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, has filed an appeal to overturn his verdict and sentence, which could land him in prison for up to 10 years.
Tory Lanez’s appeal
According to journalist Meghann Cuniff, who has covered the case from the beginning, the appeal process is not yet reflected in the court records, but she promised to share any updates as they happen. Cuniff also reported that Lanez was denied bail on Thursday, as he awaits the outcome of his appeal.
Lanez’s appeal, which was obtained by TMZ, claims that his trial was unfair and tainted by irrelevant and prejudicial evidence.
His lawyer, Jose Baez, argued that the prosecutors showed a photo of Lanez’s chest tattoo of a gun, which suggested that he liked weapons.
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He also challenged the credibility of Kelsey Harris, Megan’s former friend who was in the car when the shooting occurred, and who recanted many of her statements during the trial.
Additionally, Tory Lanez’s appeal is based on a December request to vacate his sentence, which was also denied by the judge. In that request, Lanez asked the court to reconsider his case in light of a new testimony from his driver and bodyguard, Jauquan Smith, who had not testified before.
Smith claimed that he saw Harris holding a gun and heard her say “I can’t believe I shot her” after the incident.
Lanez’s legal team also cited other factors that they believe should have been taken into account, such as his childhood trauma and the court’s decision to deport him to Canada, where he is a citizen.
Kodak Black released from prison
In other news, Kodak Black would have his attorney, Bradford Cohen, to thank after the rapper was released from prison on the night of Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
Even though Kodak pleaded guilty to one count of failure to report police contact, Judge Jose Martinez dismissed all other counts, and with time served, he was released.