#Judge sentences Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

[reasoningdaily]

Rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet and injuring her three years ago.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Herriford’s decision followed an unusually long hearing that stretched into a second day and included seven people answering questions from Lanez’s attorneys, mostly about his childhood and charitable work as well as his struggle with the death of his mother when he was 11. A jail chaplain said Lanez hosts a daily moment of prayer on his jail floor that has lessened tensions and sets him far apart from the 15,000 other inmates he’s met over the years.

Lanez spoke for several minutes, asking Herriford to not send him to prison. He called Megan “someone I still care for dearly to this day” regardless of what she may think of him. He said “the victim’s my friend.” He talked about bonding with her over the loss of their mothers.

“We both lost our mothers. We would sit there and drink, and drink until we got numb,” he said.

Lanez’s lawyers also submitted 76 character reference letters from friends, family and other supporters. The writers include singer Iggy Azalea, a police chief and a state representative from Missouri, and a doctor who treated Lanez for hair loss.

In a written statement read aloud in court, Megan said she struggled with whether to attend in person, and her absence should not be seen as anything other than her preserving her mental well being. She said since Tory Lanez her, “I’ve not experienced a single day of peace,” Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta read aloud.

Megan said mercy is for people who show remorse, and Lanez has shown none. She thanked the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for their support and said she wants Lanez’s sentence to be a message for every woman who’s a victim of violence.

“He not only shot me, he made a mockery of my trauma. He tried to position himself as a victim and set out to destroy my character and my soul,” Megan said.

“He lied to anyone that would listen and paid bloggers to disseminate false information about the case on social media. He released music videos and songs to damage my character and continue his crusade,” she continued. “At first, he tried to deny the shooting ever happened. Then, he attempted to place the blame on my former best friend. In his tantrum of lies, he’s blamed the system, blamed the press and, as of late, he’s using his childhood trauma to shield himself and avoid culpability.”

She that Lanez “must be forced to face the full consequences of his heinous actions and face justice.”

Lanez continues to maintain his innocence. His lawyers argued he has an alcohol-use disorder because of post-traumatic stress disorder and an anxiety disorder, and they asked he be released from jail on probation and to a residential substance abuse program.

Herriford questioned where the nexus is between the crime and Lanez’s alcohol-use disorder if he’s still denying shooting Megan. “Your client at no time indicates he actually shot the victim,” Herriford said told Lanez’s lead lawyer, Jose Baez.

“What is he alleging he did as a result of alcohol-use disorder if he didn’t do anything?” Herriford asked. “What did the doctor conclude he did as a result of alcohol use? It’s very unclear.”

Baez said “yelling” and the “argument that went back and forth in the car.”

Baez said “there were lots of decisions that transpired” to escalate the situation.

“It wasn’t a pretty situation. It wasn’t that young man's finest moment,” Baez said of Lanez.

Herriford’s unusual decision to allow questions meant it took three hours to get through the people who spoke on Monday. He also allowed Lanez’s lawyers to re-open their questioning of two speakers on Tuesday.

The speakers included a jail chaplain who said Lanez has helped bring peace to his restricted cell floor through a daily prayer call that brings everyone together at 9 p.m. and a mental health specialist who said Lanez has post-traumatic stress order and an anxiety order that underlays his alcohol-use order.

Deputy District Attorney Alex Bott said Lanez was almost 29 when he shot Megan, and he had no prior reports of alcohol problems. Video of his arrest shows him walking without stumbling, Bott said, and his attempts to bribe Kelsey Harris and Megan show someone in control of his actions. He said the shooting “was an act of misogyny towards Megan.”

Bott said Lanez will “say whatever it takes to avoid accountability" and "is talking out of both sides of his mouth" by claiming alcoholism and a mental disorder but also saying he's a role model for his son.

Stephanie Herring, program director of Home Sentencing, said Lanez is a great candidate for her program, and she’s available to pick him up from jail and take him there immediately. She said she believes anyone with a substance abuse disorder must first have a mental health disorder, and Lanez qualifies. 

The sentencing ends a three-year-old case that sparked contentious debate online, propelled by what prosecutors described as a “campaign of misinformation” waged by Lanez against Megan. 

Lanez was arrested on a gun charge shortly after the July 12, 2020, shooting in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills. He and Megan were leaving reality star Kylie Jenner’s home with Megan’s friend Kelsey Nicole Harris when an argument broke out and Megan exited the Escalade on Nichols Canyon Road barefoot and in her bikini. She testified in trial that she heard Lanez say “Dance, bitch!” before he opened fire. 

Megan initially denied being shot, instead telling police she’d stepped on glass, despite needing surgery to remove bullet fragments in her feet. She told investigators four days later that Lanez had shot her. He was charged in August 2020 and remained free on bail until September 2022, when he was placed on house arrest after allegedly assaulting singer August Alsina in Chicago. He was jailed after the jury convicted him Dec. 23 of first-degree assault with a firearm, negligent discharge of a firearm and possession of a concealed and unregistered firearm in a vehicle.

Judge Herriford rejected his motion for new trial in May, and the state appellate court then rejected an unusual request to remove the judge from the case or order him to grant a new trial. 

Megan, meanwhile, became more publicly active, throwing out the first pitch at the Houston Rockets home opener, posting more on social media and headlining concerts such as the L.A. Pride Festival in June and the Essence Festival in New Orleans in July. She opened up about the shooting in an Elle cover story in April, saying, “For years, my attacker tried to leverage social media to take away my power.”

“Imagine how it feels to be called a liar every day? Especially from a person who was once part of your inner circle,” Megan said.

[sbrown82]

[ausetkmt]

https://x.com/meghanncuniff/status/1704538275938189591?t=5BD7z_Q3PPrOFFCtd8esXA&s=09

Tory Lanez is officially in state prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

He left the jail in Los Angeles yesterday for the North Kern State Prison, about 35 miles north of Bakersfield. I've got the full transcript form his sentencing hearing inside.

looks like that smile is gone finally

Tory Lanez has been transported from jail to a California state prison to begin his 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

The 31-year-old rapper is now housed at the North Kern State Prison in Delano, about 35 miles north of Bakersfield. He was transferred from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department custody to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at 10:22 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the online jail roster.

North Kern is a medium-security facility that serves as reception center for new inmates in the California state prison. Lanez likely will be there for a few months before being assigned to a permanent location.

Here’s his new inmate photo:

Lanez was credited for 305 days already served when he was sentenced on Aug. 8, so he’s up to approximately 353 days served, which is 12 days shy of a year.

if you want to read the entire transcript of the sentencing Megann has graciously provided it here

when you take a moment and you read this it is just disgusting. Tory Lanez is a piece of shit and quite frankly anybody who supported him is just the same

Goodbye lil creep. hope you find out what happens to guys like you on the other side of those bars.

[cyarsk5230]

Opinion | Celebs who picked Tory Lanez over Megan Thee Stallion need a reckoning, too

More than seven months after hip-hop recording artist Tory Lanez was convicted in the 2020 shooting of hip-hop megastar and three-time Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion, a judge sentenced him Tuesday to 10 years in prison. In December, a Los Angeles jury found the Canadian-born Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, guilty of three felony counts: assault with a semiautomatic handgun, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

T he 10 years Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Herriford gave Lanez Tuesday was less than the 13 years requested by prosecutors.

On Monday, the first day of Lanez's sentencing hearing, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta read into the record a statement from Megan: “Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” she wrote. She also wrote, “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.” Megan testified during Lanez's trial but said in her statement that she eventually decided not to appear at the sentencing because she “simply could not bring myself to be in a room with Tory again.”

The 10-year sentence is an appropriate one. It sends a message that you can’t harm someone and not be held accountable. This is his Lanez's own doing, and now he will have about a decade to reckon with that.

Lanez’s sentencing is the latest development in one of the most contentious periods in hip-hop history, when many of the most notable men in the genre chose to rally around a fellow male artist accused of violence and not a fellow female artist who said she’d been shot by him.

What does it mean for Black women fans of hip-hop that, at the same time the 50th anniversary of the art form is being celebrated, one of hip-hop’s biggest stars continues to see hip-hop’s biggest influencers rally around her assailant, put her on virtual trial and find her guilty?

As a Black woman who remembers sneaking into my cousins David and Eric’s room as a kid to learn the lyrics to “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, I find it difficult to celebrate this golden anniversary. Because even though it’s turning 50, hip-hop doesn’t seem to have matured.

In his song “Circo Loco,” a collaboration with fellow rapper 21 Savage, Drake called Megan a liar. “This b---- lie about getting shot but she still a stallion … she don’t even get the joke but she still smiling,” Lanez’s fellow Canadian rapper sings. Drake was one of several prominent men in hip hop who accused her of lying. Hip-hop podcasters and bloggers, including Joe Budden and DJ Akademiks, used their large platforms to vilify her. (Budden later apologized for joking about Megan’s mental health as he doubted her claims of being shot by Lanez.)

Future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James went out of his way to let us to know he’s Team Lanez. Responding to a tweet that claimed Lanez makes good music, James responded, “FACTS!!! He never misses. That boy talented as hell man! Bangers for days!!”

Akademiks and Megan engaged in a heated exchange on social media. Before a scheduled pre-trial court hearing even began, Akademiks falsely claimed on Twitter that there’d been a bombshell revelation that exonerated Lanez. Megan tagged him when she responded on Instagram, “Y’all tryna win a social media campaign this is MY REAL LIFE! Y’all tryna get retweets SPREADING FALSE NARRATIVES!” As recently as last month, Akademiks said he still has his doubts that Lanez is guilty.

Black women are three times more likely than other women to be killed by current or former partners. Even if Black people don’t know that exact statistic, they likely know of Black women who’ve been hurt or killed by their partners. That’s why I never bought the idea that the hip-hop community believed Megan was lying about what she said happened to her at the hands of someone with whom she’d been intimate with.

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I figured the hip-hop artists dogging Meg knew she was telling the truth but succumbed to what can be an overwhelming sentiment that we must protect and defend Black men at all costs: even when Black women and Black children are the victims. I mean, isn’t that why so many refuse to stop supporting R. Kelly?

In my lifetime, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Black people overwhelmingly stand with Black women victims when their assailants are Black men. And that makes me sad.

That idea that protecting abusive men is more important than protecting or defending the abused makes it harder sometimes to rock to the beat. Because this isn’t hip-hop’s first account of intimate partner violence or men in hip-hop attacking women in general. There were stories in its earlier years — such as Dr. Dre’s 1991 assault of Dee Barnes, a journalist whose only crime was being a Black woman who was good at her job. According to media reports, Dr. Dre assaulted Barnes because she’d previously interviewed former NWA member Ice Cube and, in his segment, Cube had less than flattering remarks for his former bandmates. Instead of addressing Cube, Dre took his frustrations out on Barnes. Dr. Dre pleaded no contest to attacking Barnes and was given two years probation and some community service. “It ain’t no big thing. I just threw her through a door,” Dr. Dre said of Barnes then in an interview with Rolling Stone.

In 2015, the film “Straight Outta Compton” was rightly criticized for leaving out Dr. Dre’s attack on Barnes and the allegations of abuse from R&B singer Tairrie B and Dr. Dre’s former girlfriend, R&B singer Michel’le. That’s when Dr. Dre finally paid lip service to owning up to what he’d done. In a statement to The New York Times that year, he blamed alcoholism and said, “I apologize to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.”

Such an apology was too little and almost a quarter-century too late. That’s why it was such an offense that in February, to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the Grammys honored Dr. Dre by presenting him its inaugural Global Impact Award. Not only that, the Grammys named that award for him. Barnes couldn’t believe it. She told Rolling Stone, “You might as well call it the Ike Turner Award.” She added, “I’m not the bad guy, but I am made into the villain — very much like how they did Megan Thee Stallion … I watched what happened to my little sister Megan, and it just was heartbreaking to me because we have not changed in all these years.”

L anez being sentenced at the same time as the genre’s golden anniversary is fitting. Instead of seeing his violence against a woman as a stain on the record or a blip on the radar, let us view Lanez’s attack on Megan and hip-hop’s support of him as yet another notch in hip-hop’s belt. This is what it wants to be.

Women have left an indelible mark on hip-hop. We should salute and applaud them. But we should also recognize that they’ve achieved what they have despite the sexist and patriarchal environments they’ve been in, environments that have so often been indifferent, if not openly hostile to their success, their safety and their survival.

What is hip-hop’s community going to do as it begins its next 50 years to ensure that women will be valued? What are the genre’s influencers going to do to change a culture in which abusers aren’t just protected but are too often celebrated?

Through its silence on behalf of those who’ve been abused and its open affirmation of abusers, hip-hop makes it clear that, to borrow from an infamous bar in Jay Z’s song “30 Something,” they don’t respect the ones who got shot; they respect the shooters.

I can still recite “It Takes Two” word-for-word. I still have fond memories of how hip-hop shaped my youth and young adulthood, but I don’t see the world with the idyllic eyes of a child anymore.

There are very few spaces where Black women are safe, and the horrible response to Lanez shooting Meg is proof that hip-hop, in all this time, still isn’t one of them.

This post is part of MSNBC’s “Hip-Hop Is Universal” series, which celebrates the genre’s 50th anniversary and examines its future.

This is why I’m still outraged for meg it could have been any other black woman, I never felt more unsafe. Fuck everyone who has no respect for black women and doesn’t protect them.

I don’t care if these famous people who stood by that sociopath have either apologized or kept their distance nor them being legendary their meat sucking a degenerate is their legacy . Fuck them for this for life, stand in your discomfort, if you don’t like being called out on this. You were a bunch of meat sucking sluts and I’m shaming you and at the same time demanding you to do better. Stand in it!

[cyarsk52-20]

https://x.com/RealTeaWithTia/status/1702386414766236108?s=20

Breaking: Tory Lanez's Motion for Bail Denied, Will Serve 10-Year Sentence

Los Angeles, CA - Rapper Tory Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, will continue to serve his 10-year prison sentence for the shooting of rapper Megan Thee Stallion, as his motion for bail was denied this week.

The Motion

Lanez's lawyers filed a new motion requesting Judge David V. Herriford to halt his prison sentence while the verdict of his case is appealed. They also requested permission for Lanez to live in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 6-year-old son. The motion was denied at a Thursday hearing in Los Angeles. "The motion will be denied and proceedings conclude," said Judge Herriford.

The Charges

In December, Lanez was found guilty of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. The charges left Megan Thee Stallion wounded with bullet fragments in her feet.

The Impact

The verdict has had a significant impact on the hip-hop community, raising issues such as the reluctance of Black victims to speak to police, gender politics in hip-hop, online toxicity, and the specific brand of misogyny Black women experience, known as misogynoir.

There are also several narratives floating around social media that suggest Tory may be innocent and why he may have been framed.

In an Instagram post shared two days after his sentencing, Lanez addressed his fanbase, stating, "I will never let no jail time eliminate me." He added that he has "always maintained my innocence and I always will."

Lanez was given about 10 months of credit for time he's served since his conviction. He vows to continue fighting, stating, "This is nothing but another moment where my back is against the wall and I refuse to stop fighting till I come out victorious."

View on Twitter

Meghan Cuniff singlehandedly switched the public narrative and smear campaign against Megan Thee Stallion by literally going to the courthouse and securing records and being a JOURNALIST.

And he is seething

Never forget that none of this would have ever happened if he had kept his mouth shut and taken responsibility for his actions and not treated Meg horribly for three years

But never mind that he wouldn’t be in prison rn if he never shot her in the first place

[trascapades]

⚖️#ArtIsAWeapon

I hope Megan @theestallion feels some sense of peace and can one day fully heal from the physical, mental and emotional trauma inflicted on her.

I hope Lanez is also deported after serving his 10 year sentence. I hate prison, but I don't see any other way to hold him accountable for shooting her and prevent him from harming anyone else.

I hope all those dusty rappers, bloggers, gossip sites and podcasters who harassed, defamed and antagonized #MeganTheeStallion while spreading lies to the public lose their platforms, fanbase and coins.

Story from @apnews -

A judge sentenced rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison Tuesday for shooting and wounding hip-hop superstar Megan Thee Stallion.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 31-year-old Lanez, who was convicted in December of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

The sentence brings an end to a dramatic trial that created a cultural firestorm in the hip-hop community, churning up issues including the reluctance of Black victims to speak to police, gender politics in hip-hop, online toxicity, protecting Black women and the ramifications of #misogynoir, a particular brand of misogyny Black women experience.

Herriford said it was “difficult to reconcile” the kind, charitable person and good father many people described Lanez as being during the sentencing hearing with the person who fired the gun at Megan. “Sometimes good people do bad things,” Herriford said. “Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.”

Megan testified that Lanez fired the gun at the back of her feet and shouted for her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding in July 2020, after leaving a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills home. She had to have surgery to remove bullet fragments.

“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” Megan said in a statement read by a prosecutor on Monday. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Reposted from @candicebenbow I wrote about Tory’s sentencing and how, in light of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, there must be a reckoning with its treatment of women.

#MeganTheeStallion #IStandWithMegan #BelieveBlackWomen #ToryLanez #DeportToryLanez

[cyarskj84]

https://x.com/meghanncuniff/status/1704538275938189591?t=5BD7z_Q3PPrOFFCtd8esXA&s=09

Tory Lanez is officially in state prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

He left the jail in Los Angeles yesterday for the North Kern State Prison, about 35 miles north of Bakersfield. I've got the full transcript form his sentencing hearing inside.

Tory Lanez has been transported to prison. Here's the full transcript from his sentencing.

"Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case," Judge David Herriford said. Some trial transcripts also are available, i

LEGALAFFAIRSANDTRIALS.COM

looks like that smile is gone finally

Tory Lanez has been transported from jail to a California state prison to begin his 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

The 31-year-old rapper is now housed at the North Kern State Prison in Delano, about 35 miles north of Bakersfield. He was transferred from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department custody to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at 10:22 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the online jail roster.

North Kern is a medium-security facility that serves as reception center for new inmates in the California state prison. Lanez likely will be there for a few months before being assigned to a permanent location.

Here’s his new inmate photo:

Lanez was credited for 305 days already served when he was sentenced on Aug. 8, so he’s up to approximately 353 days served, which is 12 days shy of a year.

if you want to read the entire transcript of the sentencing Megann has graciously provided it here

when you take a moment and you read this it is just disgusting. Tory Lanez is a piece of shit and quite frankly anybody who supported him is just the same

Goodbye lil creep. hope you find out what happens to guys like you on the other side of those bars.

3d ago

@ausetkmt His lace front is struggling, he looks so ugly and ashy, and we love that for us

GIF by beatissofunny

[erikaproject]

Tory Lanez Sentenced 10 Years After Shooting Megan Thee Stallion

Credit: This article was translated from CNN Indonesia

On Tuesday (8/8), the Los Angeles Judicial Court sentenced Rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison. He was found guilty after shooting Megan Thee Stallion on a side road in 2020.

As reported by the New York Times, Tory or as we know as Daystar Petersen, should get the verdict in February. But, his legal team had submitted a motion for a new trial in March, which was immediately rejected.

The trial was postponed a few times until the Judge announced that Tory Lanez would get 10 years punishment in jail. The verdict was low compared to the Prosecutor’s indictment.

Before, the Prosecutor demanded Tory Lanez at least a 13 years punishment, considering his shameful action that has traumatized Megan Thee Stallion at February 2020.

Tory’s lawyer asked the Court to let his client get probation or 3 years in prison, as well as rehabilitation for his alcohol addiction and childhood trauma.

The lawyer sent recommendation letters from Tory’s family, leader and members of the NGO, and even from his partners in the music industry, including Iggy Azalea.

Jail with no bond means he doesn’t meet the requirement to bail out because the Judge has not already decided the amount. Tory will stay imprisoned until the Judge sets the right amount for his next trial or the case is closed.

Tory Lanez allegedly shot Megan Thee Stallion’s leg after their quarrel in the Hollywood Hills, on 12 July 2020. Megan instantly report Tory to the police right after the incident. She used her real name, Megan Pete, to fill out the letter of complaint.

Before this case got into court, the police had detained Tory. But he paid his bail, so the police didn’t have a choice but to release Tory.

At first, Megan was just telling her story via Twitter. The singer told her followers that she had became a victim of shooting. Megan refused to say who the perpetrator was. Not long after that, on August 12, Megan confirmed Tory was the shooter.

The first trial began on 12 December 2022 with twelve jurors, consisting of seven women and five men, presented at the court. Megan gave her testimony. She stated that Tory shot her on the side road.

[hiphopraisedmetheblog]

Tory Lanez gets time shaved off his prison sentence.

Tory Lanez gets time shaved off his prison sentence.

The Canadian-born producer and rapper will not serve the entire decade in prison The presiding judge who sentenced disgraced producer Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison has indicated that some time will be knocked off.In December 2022, Lanez was found guilty by a Los Angeles County jury of shooting rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion during a drunken melee in the summer of 2020. On Wednesday, Aug.…

[uinterview]

Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion by Judge David Herriford at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Follow @uinterview for the latest exclusive celebrity videos & news!

[celebritynewsinusa]

Tory Lanez's Conviction: A Deep Dive into the Shooting Case and its Aftermath

1. The Conviction: A Synopsis On August 8, Tory Lanez, the renowned hip-hop artist, faced the gavel and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. This came as a result of his conviction for shooting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion in both feet. Prior to the verdict, Lanez, aged 31, made a heartfelt plea before Judge David Herriford, expressing his deep care for Megan, who he referred to as a “friend.” His case was backed by 76 character references, one of which notably included celebrity Iggy Azalea. 2. Megan Thee Stallion’s Absence and Statement Megan chose not to attend the hearing. A poignant statement read on her behalf revealed her decision to remain absent was a step to guard her mental well-being. In the letter, Megan accused Lanez of downplaying his actions, attempting to flip the narrative, and even exploiting her trauma. Her poignant words drew attention to Lanez’s tactics of manipulating public perception by portraying himself as the victim.

3. The 2020 Incident and Lanez's Legal Battles The tumultuous saga between the two celebrities began in August 2020. Megan took to Instagram Live to accuse Lanez of shooting her a month earlier as they departed from a party at Kylie Jenner’s residence. This event led to Megan undergoing surgery to remove shrapnel from her left foot. Fast forward to October 2020, Lanez was arrested on multiple felony charges including assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Despite the weight of these charges, he pleaded not guilty. 4. The Music Industry's Reaction Lanez's and Megan's feud was not limited to the courtroom. It spilled over into their music. In his September 2020 album, “Daystar,” Lanez addressed the shooting allegations in his song "Money Over Fallouts," suggesting that Megan's injuries weren’t severe as they missed bones and tendons. The incident also seemed to inspire other artists. Drake, in his 2022 song “Circo Loco,” seemingly referenced the incident, leading Megan to swiftly respond on social media. Lil Yachty, a co-writer for the controversial song, clarified the lyric’s intention, distancing it from the shooting incident. 5. Megan’s Emotional Trauma and Advocacy for Women Megan's journey through this legal battle has been anything but smooth. She penned an essay for Elle magazine in April, highlighting the emotional and public scrutiny she endured after the shooting. Megan felt that, instead of receiving empathy, she was made a subject of ridicule. Despite the challenges, Megan expressed that Lanez's conviction served as a beacon of hope, not just for her, but for every woman who has faced blame for violent acts committed against them. In conclusion, the Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion case serves as a stark reminder of the impact of gun violence and the subsequent repercussions that ripple through the public domain. As the industry and fans grapple with the verdict, Megan's resilience serves as an inspiration for countless individuals who have faced similar traumatic events. Read the full article

[reasoningdaily]

Aug. 8: Judge sentences Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

Aug. 2: Tory Lanez's lawyers want him sentenced to probation for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

July 13: After public spat, new lawyer joins Tory Lanez’s defense team as would-be lawyer steps aside

July 12: New attorney plans to seek Tory Lanez’s release from jail over Megan Thee Stallion shooting

June 19: Tory Lanez's first lawyer told him blaming Kelsey Harris for shooting Megan Thee Stallion was not 'a viable strategy'

June 13: Judge sets August 7 sentencing date for rapper Tory Lanez in shooting of Megan Thee Stallion

June 7: Prosecutors want Tory Lanez to serve 13 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

June 5: As sentencing looms, Tory Lanez's lawyers quietly pursue an unusual appellate request

May 24: Prosecutors cite ‘high level of callousness’ in Tory Lanez’s shooting of Megan Thee Stallion

May 10: 'The outcome wouldn’t be different': No new trial for Tory Lanez in Megan Thee Stallion shooting

April 17: Judge sets May 8 hearing for Tory Lanez’s motion for new trial

April 10: Judge delays hearing on Tory Lanez’s motion for new trial

April 7: Prosecutors respond to Tory Lanez’s motion for new trial

April 1: All the details on Tory Lanez’s motion for new trial

Feb. 28: Tory Lanez’s sentencing delayed, gag order lifted

Jan. 13: Tory Lanez gets new lawyers

Dec. 23: Jury Convicts Rapper Tory Lanez on All Charges in Shooting of Megan Thee Stallion, After Day of Deliberations

Dec. 22: Prosecutor Tells Jury That Tory Lanez Shot Megan Thee Stallion ‘Over Nothing More Than a Bruised Ego’

Dec. 21: In Trial Twist, Defense Witness Testifies Tory Lanez Was ‘Firing Everywhere’ When Megan Thee Stallion Was Shot

Dec. 19: Megan Thee Stallion Seemed ‘Like A Deer in Headlights’ When Tory Lanez Opened Fire, Her Friend Told Prosecutors in Taped Interview

Dec. 16: Jurors to Hear 80-Minute Interview in Which Megan Thee Stallion’s Ex-Assistant Told Prosecutors She Saw Tory Lanez Shoot Her Former Boss

Dec. 15: Megan Thee Stallion’s Ex-Assistant Tells Jury Her Interview ‘Wasn’t Truthful,’ Disavows Claim She Saw Tory Lanez Shoot Her Former Boss

Dec. 14: ‘I Am Not on Trial’: Megan Thee Stallion Testifies Tory Lanez’s Shooting Defense Led to Her Sexual Shaming by Hip-Hop’s ‘Big Boys Club’

Dec. 13: ‘Dance, B****’: Prosecutor Tells Jury Tory Lanez Shot Megan Thee Stallion After She Insulted His Skills as a Musician

Dec. 12: With Trial Opening, Tory Lanez’s Lawyer Says Kylie Jenner’s House Party Is Key to Defense in Megan Thee Stallion Shooting

[williamchasterson]

Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

A judge in LA sent the rapper to prison for injuring Megan Thee Stallion Stallion in a 2020 shooting. from BBC News – World https://ift.tt/0dVl2rF via IFTTT

[newsakd]

[ad_1] LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge sentenced rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison Tuesday for shooting and wounding hip-hop superstar Megan Thee Stallion. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 31-year-old Lanez, who was convicted in December of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. The sentence brings an end to a dramatic trial that created a cultural firestorm in the hip-hop community, churning up issues including the reluctance of Black victims to speak to police, gender politics in hip-hop, online toxicity, protecting Black women and the ramifications of misogynoir, a particular brand of misogyny Black women experience. Herriford said it was “difficult to reconcile” the kind, charitable person and good father many people described Lanez as being during the sentencing hearing with the person who fired the gun at Megan. “Sometimes good people do bad things,” Herriford said. “Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.” Megan testified that Lanez fired the gun at the back of her feet and shouted for her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding in July 2020, after leaving a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills home. She had to have surgery to remove bullet fragments. “Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” Megan said in a statement read by a prosecutor on Monday. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.” Lanez asked Herriford for mercy just before the judge delivered his sentence. Lanez requested either probation or a minimal prison sentence. “If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them,” I would, Lanez continued. “The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day.” He added, “Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for.” Lanez appeared stunned while the sentence was read, but had no audible reaction. His family and fans in the courtroom also remained quiet after the sentence. Before the sentencing, Lanez’s father, Sonstar Peterson, choked back tears as he talked about how the rapper’s mother died when he was 11, just days after she first showed symptoms of the rare blood disorder that would lead to her death. “I don’t think anybody ever gets over that,” he said of their youngest child, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson. “But his music became his outlet.” Lanez began releasing mixtapes in 2009 and saw a steady rise in popularity, moving on to major-label albums. His last two reached the top 10 on Billboard’s charts. Megan Thee Stallion, now 28, was already a major rising star at the time of the shooting, and her prominence has surged since. Born Megan Pete, she won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “WAP.” The elder Peterson, who is a Christian minister, was one of several people who gave statements on Lanez’s character and charitable giving — as did the mother of Lanez’s young son, who spoke in court about his qualities as a father. Dozens more wrote letters to Herriford, including rapper Iggy Azalea, who asked the judge to hand down a sentence that was “transformative, not life-destroying.” Herriford said Lanez’s son, who is about 6 years old, also sent in a handwritten letter, but the judge did not describe it further. Lanez’s family and supporters have packed the courtroom; during the trial, they contended his prosecution was unjustly brought on by Megan and powerful figures in music. After the verdict was read in December, Lanez’s father denounced the “wicked system” that led to his son’s conviction; on Monday, Sonstar Peterson apologized to Herriford for the outburst. Lanez has been jailed since his conviction. A chaplain from Los Angeles County jail said Monday in court that Lanez has led daily prayer groups that have eased tensions in the protective custody unit where he has been held. Herriford denied a motion from Lanez’s defense attorneys for a new trial on May 9. Such motions immediately following a conviction are common and rarely succeed. Attorneys for Lanez had argued that there was insufficient evidence to convict him, and some of the evidence presented to jurors should not have been allowed. The lawyers argued Megan’s testimony that Lanez urged her not to go to police because he was on parole and would be in serious trouble was both untrue and an improper allowance of prior bad acts. And they said DNA evidence that prosecutors used to argue Lanez was the likely shooter fell well short of industry standards. Lawyers for Lanez plan to appeal the conviction. Herriford found earlier Monday that Megan was an especially vulnerable victim when she was shot, but that Lanez was not especially cruel or callous in firing at her. “She has permanent scarring, physically,” Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott said in court. “And she certainly will have emotional scarring for the rest of her life.” [ad_2] Source link

[cyarsk5230]

The hip hop community owes Megan the biggest apology and I want it LOUD.

As Tory Lanez heads to prison, hip-hop needs to have a conversation about accountability

Hip-hop should be embarrassed by its silence as Megan Thee Stallion was publicly maligned

Justin TinsleyAugust 8, 2023

After months of delays, which included swapping his legal team and attempting to remove the judge who presided over his case, rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the July 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. 

In December 2022, Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, was found guilty on three felony counts — assault with a semiautomatic handgun, possession of a loaded, unregistered firearm, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Prosecutors had requested Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford sentence Lanez to 13 years in prison, while the rapper’s legal team asked that he be given probation or no more than three years.

After the sentencing, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón thanked Megan Thee Stallion, born Megan Pete, for her bravery. 

“Over the past three years, Mr. Peterson has engaged in a pattern of conduct that was intended to intimidate Ms. Pete and silence her truths from being heard,” Gascón said. “Women, especially Black women, are afraid to report crimes like assault because they are too often not believed. I commend Megan Pete for her incredible bravery and vulnerability as she underwent months of probing investigation and court appearances where she had to relive her trauma, and the public scrutiny that followed. This case highlighted the numerous ways that our society must do better for women.”

While Lanez’s sentencing marks the end of this saga (well, until his probable forthcoming appeal is decided), this moment also illuminates another uncomfortable reality. The hip-hop community should be deeply embarrassed by the way it conducted itself during this entire ordeal. After all, the response to the shooting furthered decadeslong rhetoric about misogyny and violent masculinity that have permeated hip-hop for generations.

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Making matters worse, disinformation is a valuable currency these days. Perhaps it’s always been, but with the influx of social media, disinformation now isn’t just inaccurate, it can be deadly. 

Disinformation campaigns have had books about actual U.S. history removed from shelves. It’s been a critical tool to prevent commonsense gun laws. And disinformation is why a former president of the United States can rally millions of Americans behind him on the campaign trail as federal indictments pile up in multiple states and Washington. And disinformation allowed many to believe Lanez was the victim of a witch hunt, while Megan Thee Stallion feared for her safety and suffered from anxiety and depression. 

But sadly, Megan Thee Stallion isn’t unique. 

A study conducted by the Institute of Women’s Policy Research revealed that nearly a third of all women will experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. For Black women, that number is more than 40%. Complicating things even further are the factors that prevent many Black women from reporting their abuse: mistrust of police, protecting perpetrators, shame. Megan Thee Stallion was no different.

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After Lanez allegedly attempted to pay Megan Thee Stallion and her former friend Kelsey Harris $1 million to keep quiet, Lanez tormented Megan Thee Stallion through his music. When she sat down with broadcaster Gayle Kingon CBS Mornings in April 2022 for an interview, Lanez released a video for his song, “CAP,” in which he chopped horse legs in a not-so-subliminal taunt. Rapper DaBaby, a once frequent collaborator with Megan Thee Stallion, and Lanez reportedly attempted to “ambush” her while she was on stage at Rolling Loud in Miami in 2021, violating the protective order she had against Lanez. 

Lanez and his defense attorneys accused Megan Thee Stallion of lying — while also insinuating Harris was the actual shooter — but the jury didn’t buy it, rendering a verdict in less than 10 hours. Not even the embarrassing displays from Lanez’s father outside the courtroom, blaming entertainment agency Roc Nation for Lanez’s cowardly actions, could distract from what happened and what led to that moment. 

Over the past three years, hip-hop artists have largely remained quiet about the shooting. Megan Thee Stallion’s peers have either been slow to admonish Lanez, have continued to work with him, or have been reluctant to defend her. Record executive Rick Ross, who initially called out Lanezfollowing the shooting, eventually reconciled with him and invited Lanez to his car show last year. While performing the song “Litty Again” at Rolling Loud Portugal in July, Meek Mill yelled “Free Tory Lanez!” to the crowd. During the trial, DJ Akademiks published court documents and cast doubt on the validity of Megan Thee Stallion’s account to his large audience. Even rap’s biggest superstar, Drake, made light of the shooting last year on “Circo Loco,” insinuating that Megan was fabricating the entire ordeal. 

Perhaps the only rapper to publicly call out Lanez, and stand by his words, is Bun B. “We have to protect our Black women, and any Black man that doesn’t feel the same way is not my brother,” the UGK legend said in December 2020.

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Much of the conversation about the shooting and what precipitated it was fixated on who Megan Thee Stallion was romantically involved with — not why Lanez decided it was the best course of action to reportedly tell her, “Dance, b—!” while pulling the trigger multiple times. In September 2022, DaBaby claimed he was also sleeping with Megan on his track “Boogeyman” rapping, “You play with me, that s— was childish / The day before she say that Tory Lanez shot her, I was f—ing on Megan Thee Stallion / Waited to say this s— on my next album / Hit it the day before too / But I kept it playa, I ain’t say nothing ’bout it.”

Megan Thee Stallion appeared to respond to DaBaby’s blatant display of play for attention by saying she controlled her body — not Lanez, DaBaby or any other man. The irony here is that sexual relationships have historically been used as badges of honor in hip-hop, largely by men. In Megan Thee Stallion’s case, her personal life was being used as a vehicle to discredit her account of the shooting.

There are countless instances when men seek out the validation of other men, and women, particularly Black women, are the targets. That’s precisely what happened in this case, and the result is one of the ugliest stains on hip-hop’s history — though its past treatment of women is unfortunately littered with similar examples. Hip-hop has never held itself accountable for frequently disrespecting women (not to mention LGBTQ+ people), because what’s accountable isn’t always best for business.

We all watched Megan Thee Stallion have to defend herself — all while she was still grieving the losses of her great-grandmother and mother, who died within weeks of each other in 2019 (Megan said she and Lanez initially bonded over both of them losing parents). Her father died when she was 15. It was almost too much for Megan to bear. 

“I don’t wanna be on this earth,” Megan Thee Stallion said during her testimony at Lanez’s trial. “I wish he woulda shot and killed me if I knew I would go through this torture.”

Her music reflected the same sentiments. “They keep sayin’ I should get help / But I don’t even know what I need,” she rapped last year on the aptly titled track “Anxiety.” “They keep sayin’ speak your truth / And at the same time say they don’t believe.”

It wasn’t until Lanez’s phone conversation with Harris while he was in jail became public that many finally began to accept what Megan has said since August 2020: Lanez shot her, and he knew he shot her.

In her victim impact statement, Megan told the court she had “not experienced a single day of peace” since the incident occurred. “He lied to anyone that would listen, and paid bloggers to disseminate false information about the case on social media. He released music videos and songs to damage my character and continue his crusade.”

Megan concluded, “For once, the defendant must be forced to face the full consequences of his heinous actions and face justice.”

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Lanez’s sentencing is some semblance of justice. Mainly for Megan, who endured the torture of public scrutiny, confronted Lanez in court, and withstood multiple delays in his sentencing. 

Lanez’s life and career are on an indefinite pause. And while there is a necessary, generations-long critique of the criminal justice system and how it has preyed on Black men to be had, Lanez is guilty of a violent crime. That’s his story. That’s his reality. That’s his legacy.

Nevertheless, hip-hop’s story, reality and legacy of this saga is far from over. Hip-hop culture changed the course of history and inspired every corner of the globe. Still, when it comes to its treatment of women, hip-hop still has a lot of work to do. Women such as rapper Dee Barnes, music producer Drew Dixon, and more aren’t just survivors of abuse at the hands of powerful men such as rapper and producer Dr. Dre and record executive Russell Simmons. They represent accomplished journalists and talented executives who have had to unfairly juggle the realities of their passions and the sharp, stinging legacies of their abuse. Whether that happens with Megan Thee Stallion is anybody’s guess.

Hip-hop should be embarrassed by its conduct during this incident. It should be ashamed it largely remained silent and allowed a Black woman to be publicly maligned. Whatever conversations are had now and in the future, here’s hoping it’s rooted in the truth — no matter how uncomfortable. That’s the only way conversations can become actions and eventually tangible change.

Loving hip-hop and critiquing it isn’t just a necessary part of the culture. If the genre is to survive another 50 years, then there’s no other option.

Justin Tinsley is a senior culture writer for Andscape. He firmly believes “Cash Money Records takin’ ova for da ’99 and da 2000” is the single most impactful statement of his generation.

Sent from my iPhone

[cyarsk52-20]

Sometimes people are responsible for the destruction of their own careers. This is one examples.

The Only Person To Blame For Tory Lanez's 10 Year Jail Sentence Is Tory Lanez

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As The Root reported, Tory Lanez was sentenced Tuesday (August 8) to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. The final outcome regarding this violent incident, which happened in 2020, has some folks on social media  saying that a decade is an extreme sentence for the assault. Whether if you agree with that assessment or not, one thing is certain: Lanez brought this  entirely on himself.

When the shooting first happened, Megan denied being shot at all and told authorities she’d stepped on glass even though she would need surgery on her feet to remove bullet fragments. She explained that she did this to protect everyone with her inside the vehicle that night, as the police are known to disproportionately have fatal encounters with Black folks.

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The rapper legitimately feared that this would happen if police knew Lanez was in possession of a weapon. However, in an Instagram Live video, Meg explained Lanez’s publicist was spreading false information about the shooting which led to her to name Lanez as the perpetrator. Even though he was arrested in October 2020 on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, he was not arrested for shooting Megan (Lanez would later be released on $35,000 bail).

Not only did Lanez avoid any sort of accountability, he repeatedly professed his innocence by insisting that Megan was a liar. Lanez released the album DAYSTAR just two months after the violent incident in which he accused her of trying to frame him. On  “Money Over Fallouts,” he stated, “Megan people tryna frame me for a shootin’....Gotta see a couple questions: how the f**k you get shot in your foot, don’t hit no bones or tendons?” 

According to Billboard, a source close to the situation accused Lanez’s team of fabricating emails from Meg’s label, 300 Entertainment, to “campaign press” on his behalf. The magazine also said the source claimed the star’s team made up text messages between Lanez and Megan and sent them to several outlets. The magazine also said that Lanez also leveraged his following on social media to bully Meg. 

The Traumazine rapper was tormented for years following the shooting, and Lanez played a heavy hand in it. From memes ridiculing the incident, posts mocking Meg’s gender and claims that she deserved to be shot, Megan was bullied when she should have been healing. To add insult to injury, celebrities from Drake to 50 Cent to Lebron James to Meek Mill boosted Lanez when they should have been showing support to Meg. 

In 2021, prosecutors said they had engaged in “meaningful discussions” with Lanez about a possible plea deal but nothing materialized and the case went to trial last year (charges were brought against Lanez by the state, not Meg). Once it did, things quickly unraveled for him. From Megan taking the stand to an audio recording of Lanez seemingly confessing to the shooting, a guilty verdict felt inevitable.

Lanez’s request for a new trial was denied in May as well as his request  to remove the judge from the case. During his sentencing, Lanez pleaded for leniency and presented 76 character reference letters as proof of his inherently good nature. He also spoke for several minutes and called Megan “someone I still care for dearly to this day.” 

However, in a witness impact statement from Megan read during sentencing, she explained how Lanez tried to destroy her and that mercy is for people who show remorse. For the last three years, Lanez has made this ordeal much worse for himself by refusing to take responsibility for what he did to Meg and still won’t own up to his behavior. During the sentencing, he stated that if he was guilty of assaulting Meg alcoholism and childhood trauma was to blame.

Ultimately, Lanez’s prison sentence was the result of him being worried more about his ego more than consequences of his actions—and  he’ll be paying for both for the next decade.

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