A jury in Los Angeles found rapper Tory Lanez guilty on all three charges in the shooting of hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion on July 12, 2020 in the Hollywood Hills.
“The jury got it right. I am thankful there is justice for Meg,” Megan Thee Stallion’s attorney Alex Spiro said in a statement after the verdict was announced Friday afternoon.
Chaos reportedly broke out in the court room after the verdict was announced, with Lanez’s father screaming at prosecutors, calling them “witches” and “evil,” according to Los Angeles station KABC.
“You two are evil, wicked,” Lanez’s father yelled at prosecutors as the jury left the court room, while Lanez’s defense attorneys tried to deescalate the situation.
Lanez was later taken into custody.
The media has reached out to Lanez’s attorneys and a request for comment was not immediately returned. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27 at 8:30 a.m. local time, according to KABC.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón in a statement recognized the “bravery” of Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, pointing to some of the commentary around the case.
“You showed incredible courage and vulnerability with your testimony despite repeated and grotesque attacks that you did not deserve,” he wrote. “You faced unjust and despicable scrutiny that no woman should ever face and you have been an inspiration to others across LA County and the nation.”
The jury, including alternates, was made up of nine women and five men, including four Black jurors. They deliberated for seven hours over two days before finding Lanez guilty.
During the two-week trial, jurors heard testimony from various witnesses, including Pete herself. Pete’s former friend Kelsey Harris, who was one of four people present when Pete was shot, also testified.
Harris initially corroborated details that point to Lanez as the alleged shooter in a September video interview with prosecutors but changed her story on the witness stand last week.
