Updated August 8, 2023 at 8:03 PM ET
Canadian rapper Tory Lanez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of assaulting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion in a court in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Last December, Tory Lanez was found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in July 2020. The incident occurred as they were leaving a party hosted by celebrity Kylie Jenner, and Lanez shot Stallion in the foot. The court convicted Lanez on all three charges brought against him: assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm, and negligent discharge of a gun.
During the sentencing hearing, Tory Lanez spoke and expressed his continued care for Megan Thee Stallion, despite her negative feelings towards him. He shared how they had bonded over the loss of their mothers.
Megan Thee Stallion did not attend the sentencing, but she issued a written statement emphasizing the need for the defendant to face the consequences of his actions.
The shooting took place when Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez, accompanied by a friend of Megan’s and Lanez’s bodyguard, were leaving the party. An argument erupted inside the car, leading Lanez to shoot at Stallion’s feet after she exited the vehicle. Stallion suffered injuries and required surgery.
Prosecutors sought a significant sentence for Lanez, as they argued that he had launched a campaign to humiliate and discredit Megan Thee Stallion following the incident. They accused Lanez of using social media to spread misinformation and manipulate public opinion against Stallion.
Lanez’s defense, on the other hand, pleaded for rehabilitation rather than imprisonment. His lawyers presented evidence of Lanez’s struggles with alcohol, childhood trauma, and mental health. They also submitted statements and letters of support on behalf of the defendant.
Compared to other high-profile cases involving male and female celebrities, this trial received less media coverage. However, it gained attention due to the negative backlash against Megan Thee Stallion from Lanez’s fans and fellow artists. For instance, Drake implied in one of his songs that Stallion had lied about being shot.
District Attorney Alex Bott described the shooting as a misogynistic act towards Megan Thee Stallion during the court proceedings.
Gabby Bulgarelli, senior producer of NPR’s hip-hop podcast, Louder Than a Riot, closely followed this case. She highlighted the challenges Stallion faced as a woman in a male-dominated industry, where those who speak the truth often face vilification and disenfranchisement.
Initially, Megan Thee Stallion had told the police that she had stepped on broken glass, fearing the consequences of revealing the truth. In her testimony during Lanez’s trial, she explained that she didn’t feel safe with the police or in the car. She also disclosed that Lanez had offered her and her friend a significant sum of money to remain silent about the incident.
Tory Lanez released an album two months after the shooting, featuring lyrics denying his involvement and claiming that he had been framed.
The maximum possible sentence for Lanez’s convictions is 22 years and eight months in prison. However, a recent California law aimed at criminal justice reform requires courts to impose the middle length of a prison term unless aggravating circumstances exist.
Judge Herriford previously denied Lanez’s request for a retrial. Additionally, Lanez, being a Canadian citizen, faces the potential consequence of deportation from the United States after serving his sentence.
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