Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky has finally been given a trial date in the shooting of A$AP Relli after pleading not guilty.
Rolling Stone has confirmed that Superior Court Judge Karla Kerlin set two preliminary hearing dates for June 28 and August 2, with the trial scheduled to begin on October 21. Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was charged with two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and faces up to 24 years in prison if found guilty.
Last year, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence for Mayers to stand trial over the charges.
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Rocky allegedly shot his former friend and crew member A$AP Relli during a “heated argument” in Hollywood back in 2021. Relli claimed that the tension grew between the two after Rocky agreed to help one of the deceased crew members’ family, but reportedly never did.
Relli claims that A$AP Rocky arrived to a meeting in an L.A. hotel with multiple men, pointed a gun at his stomach and said: “I’ll kill you right now.” In his testimony he also says that he was shot shortly afterwards and claims Rocky shot him four times, including once in the hand before leaving the scene of the shooting.
A video shown in court during a preliminary hearing included audio of two gunshots around 10 p.m. PT on November 6, 2021, which is a major piece of the prosecution’s evidence of the shooting.
Relli is also suing Rocky and his attorney Joe Tacopina for defamation, accusing them of running a media campaign that says his entire testimony is fabricated.