The sentencing hearing for rapper Tory Lanez is scheduled to continue for a second day on Tuesday. Yesterday, hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion provided a statement in court expressing that she has not had a day of peace since being shot in the feet by Lanez in 2020. Her statement urged Judge David Herriford to hold Lanez accountable for the crime, while Lanez’s defense team sought to avoid a potential state prison sentence.
After hearing from several witnesses called on Lanez’s behalf and the preliminary arguments from attorneys about aggravating and mitigating factors, Herriford stated that the proceedings would not finish that day. He ordered both sides to return on Tuesday morning to continue the sentencing hearing.
Prosecutors are seeking a 13-year state prison sentence for Lanez, while defense attorneys are requesting probation. Lanez was convicted on December 23, 2020, of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Megan Thee Stallion’s impact statement highlighted her lack of peace since the incident and accused Lanez of making a mockery of her trauma.
Lanez’s father and the mother of his 6-year-old son testified about his personal struggles, including the death of his mother when he was 11, as well as his charitable efforts throughout the country. Witnesses, such as a chaplain from the Los Angeles County jail, described Lanez’s positive attitude and involvement in jail activities.
The judge stated that he received over 70 letters on Lanez’s behalf, including one from musician Iggy Azalea, requesting a transformative sentence rather than a life-destroying one. Herriford found that two aggravating factors were proven, involving the use of a weapon and a vulnerable victim, but the prosecution failed to prove a third aggravating factor related to cruelty.
Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott revealed that Megan Thee Stallion has both physical and emotional scars from the incident, claiming that the shooting took place after a verbal argument about “artistry.” Lanez’s attorney, Jose Baez, argued that his client was heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident and did not remember the argument’s topic. Baez suggested that Lanez would benefit from a live-in substance abuse treatment program if sentenced to probation.
In a controversial hearing in May, the judge rejected the defense’s request for a new trial. Lanez, in an Instagram post addressed to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, declared that he was wrongfully convicted and denied a fair trial. He called for fairness and justice according to the laws of California and God.
Lanez has remained in custody since his conviction. During the trial, Megan Thee Stallion testified that Lanez shot her during an argument following a gathering at Kylie Jenner’s home. She stated that Lanez offered her $1 million not to disclose the incident. The rapper’s sentencing memorandum argued for probation and entry into a residential treatment program, emphasizing his charitable activities and questionable evidence of guilt.
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