Canadian rapper Tory Lanez was found guilty in a Los Angeles court on Friday of shooting singer Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during an argument in 2020 following a drunken Hollywood night out.
During the trial between the two ex-lovers, the American singer notably recounted how the rapper opened fire on her, throwing her: “Dance, bitch”.
Tory Lanez, Daystar Peterson of his real name, was notably found guilty of assault with a semi-automatic weapon and carrying an undeclared weapon.
The 30-year-old rapper, who pleaded not guilty but refused to testify at trial, was jailed immediately following the trial. His sentence is due on January 27.
In the United States, this affair served as a symbol concerning the treatment of women in the world of hip hop. It dates back to July 2020 and finds its origins in an argument between the two ex-lovers following an evening with Kylie Jenner.
The two stars were returning from the evening by car, accompanied by a friend of Megan Thee Stallion who had also fallen in love with the Canadian rapper. A quarrel then broke out.
In front of the jury, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who collaborated with Beyoncé and won three Grammy Awards in 2021, described her horror when her ex-lover shot her in the feet.
“I’m shocked. I’m scared. I hear the shots going off and I can’t believe he’s shooting me,” said the artist, real name Megan Pete.
To hush up the incident, Tory Lanez offered her “a million dollars” to shut up, she said.
Shortly following the incident, the car of the two stars was stopped by the police. Transported to the hospital, the singer initially claimed to have injured her feet with pieces of glass.
In court, Meghan Thee Stallion blamed her reaction on distrust of the police, just months following the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, two African-Americans killed by law enforcement.
“At the time, we were at the peak of police violence,” she recalled. “I don’t feel safe in the car. I don’t feel safe around the police either.”
“In the black community, it’s not really acceptable to cooperate with the police,” she added to explain her mistrust.
During the trial, the defense of Tory Lanez assured that the singer was lying and that it was a “case of jealousy”.
