Canadian rapper, Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson better known as Tory Lanez has filed an appeal three months after he was found guilty of shooting his female colleague and ex-girlfriend, Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, better known as Megan Thee Stallion
Glamsquad recalls that in December 2022, Tory Lanez was convicted of shooting Megan in the back of her feet following a verbal altercation after leaving Kylie Jenner’s house in July 2020.
He faced charges for three felony counts: assault with a semi-automatic firearm (personal use of a firearm), carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. He was ultimately found guilty of the third charge in addition to the other two.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Jose Baez, the criminal defence lawyer for the rapper known for “Say It”, argued that his client’s conviction ought to be overturned on the grounds that the trial featured “irrelevant evidence.”
Baez claims that a shirtless photo of Lanez holding a gun to his chest was used to “underscore to the jury his client had a fondness for weapons.”
The attorney further contends that the prosecutors committed a “reversible error” by threatening to introduce the rap lyrics of the “Jerry Sprunger” artist to the jury. Moreover, Baez asserts that it was improper for the jury to have been exposed to an 80-minute interview between the prosecutors and Kelsey Harris, Megan’s former close friend who was in the car with both rappers on the night of the shooting.
Lanez had maintained his innocence throughout the trial and previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. The rapper is facing 22 years in prison for the charges and a “strong likelihood” that he will be deported back to Canada.
His sentencing was set for April 10th.