ASAP Rocky Pleads Not Guilty to Assault Charges in Hollywood Shooting Case

ASAP Rocky has officially entered a plea of not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. The plea was made during a hearing held in Los Angeles on Monday. This legal development follows a November ruling by a judge, who determined that there was sufficient evidence against Rocky to proceed to trial in connection with the shooting incident involving his former friend and collaborator, ASAP Relli.

ASAP Relli accused Rocky of opening fire on him in Hollywood on November 6, 2022, asserting that one of the bullets grazed his hand. Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, dismissed the assault allegation as a “false scenario” and described it as a “plain and blatant classic attempt at extortion.” Tacopina argued that Relli, identified as a failed ex-associate of Rocky’s, harbored jealousy and attempted to extort money from the rapper. According to Tacopina, Relli explicitly sought financial support from Rocky, with documented evidence in text messages supporting the claim.

During a preliminary hearing, Relli provided an account of the shooting incident occurring outside a hotel. Although security footage from the incident exists, the judge noted that the actual shooting was not visible in the clip.

In addition to the criminal charges, Relli has filed a lawsuit against ASAP Rocky, alleging assault, battery, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit was initiated in August 2022. Stay tuned for further developments in the ASAP Rocky assault case.