Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
On Friday (Dec. 23), a Los Angeles jury found rapper and singer Tory Lanez, born Daystar Peterson, guilty of shooting Meg Thee Stallion. The Canadian rapper and singer is facing up to 20 years, and deportation, when he is sentenced.
The now infamous incident occurred after Lanez and Meg attended a party held by Kylie Jenner. During an argument over their respective careers, which also included Meg Thee Stallion’s former friend Kelsey Harris, it was the former who ended up shot in both feet.
A trial that was closely watched by the social media peanut gallery, and elicited plenty of sexist commentary and gossip aimed at Meg, has culminated in Lanez being found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic handgun, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence; all of which after felonies. Lanez will be sentenced in late January.
Reports the New York Times:
Jurors reached a verdict after about seven hours of deliberation across two days, following a trial that lasted nearly two weeks. Mr. Lanez, who had been free on bail during the trial following a period of house arrest, was immediately taken into custody. Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 27.
Megan Thee Stallion was not present in court. As the verdict was read, Mr. Lanez appeared motionless and stared straight ahead until his father stood up and began shouting at the judge and prosecutors. “God will judge you,” he said, as bailiffs moved to block his path.
Will the jury’s decision vindicate Meg Thee Stallion in the eyes of her most adamant haters? Probably not, but their already weak arguments that found her accused of being a liar and called everything but a child of God look all the more ridiculous.
In hindsight, this tweet from Lanez didn’t age well.
Twitter has been at it with all the hot takes since the ruling, and we’ve compiled some of the more stirring reactions in the gallery.
This story is developing.