Tory Lanez at his trial for the capturing of Megan Thee Stallion in Dec. 2022. Lanez was discovered responsible of all three felony prices.

Damian Dovarganes/AP

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Damian Dovarganes/AP

Tory Lanez at his trial for the capturing of Megan Thee Stallion in Dec. 2022. Lanez was discovered responsible of all three felony prices.

Damian Dovarganes/AP

Rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in jail Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom for assaulting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion.

Final December, Tory Lanez was discovered responsible of capturing Megan Thee Stallion within the foot in July 2020 as they left a celebration on the dwelling of movie star Kylie Jenner.

At his conviction, the defendant was discovered responsible of all three prices prosecutors had introduced in opposition to him: assault with a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and negligent discharge of a gun for capturing the plaintiff.

Tory Lanez spoke for a number of minutes at Tuesday’s sentencing. He described the plaintiff as his good friend — “somebody I nonetheless look after dearly to this present day” — no matter her emotions about him. He talked about bonding together with her over the lack of their moms.

Megan Thee Stallion didn’t seem in court docket for the sentencing, however issued a written assertion, saying: “For as soon as, the defendant have to be compelled to face the total penalties of his heinous actions and face justice.”

When the capturing occurred, Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez left the occasion together with a good friend of hers and his bodyguard. The artists received into an argument within the automobile. He started capturing at her ft when she received out of the automobile. She was hospitalized and underwent surgical procedure.

Prosecutors had sought a hefty sentence for the rapper. After the capturing, they stated Tory Lanez launched “a marketing campaign to humiliate and re-traumatize the sufferer” and “weaponized misinformation” on social media to show public opinion in opposition to Megan Thee Stallion.

Lanez’s legal professionals, in the meantime, have been hoping for rehabilitation over jail time. Decide David Herriford heard discussions in regards to the rapper’s struggles with alcohol, his childhood trauma and psychological well being, in addition to statements and letters written supporting the defendant.

There was much less protection of this case within the media than different equally high-profile trials involving female and male celebrities in latest occasions, maybe most notably the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case.

However this one struck a chord with many individuals due to the negativity Tory Lanez’s followers and fellow artists directed in opposition to Megan Thee Stallion. For instance, Drake, in certainly one of his songs, implied that Megan Thee Stallion lied about being shot.

District Legal professional Alex Bott described the capturing in court docket Tuesday as “an act of misogyny in the direction of Megan.”

Many cultural critics agree.

Gabby Bulgarelli, senior producer of NPR’s hip-hop podcast Louder Than a Riot, adopted this case for months.

“Being a lady going up in opposition to this male-dominated business, Megan is de facto combating an uphill battle,” Bulgarelli stated in an interview for NPR’s It is Been A Minute. “Hip hop was born out of a necessity to talk fact. However in plenty of methods, individuals who do which are vilified and, and additional disenfranchised.”

Within the fast aftermath of the capturing, Megan Thee Stallion informed police that she had stepped on damaged glass. Throughout her testimony at Tory Lanez’s trial final December, she stated she was so afraid of the police and Tory Lanez that she could not instantly inform the reality. “I do not really feel protected within the automobile. I do not really feel protected with the police,” she stated by means of tears.

She additionally testified that Tory Lanez had supplied her and her good friend, who was within the automobile the day the capturing occurred, $1 million every to maintain quiet in regards to the incident.

On an album launched two months after the capturing, Tory Lanez included lyrics denying that he had shot her and asserting that he had been framed.

The utmost sentence for the crimes Tory Lanez was convicted of is 22 years and eight months in jail. Nevertheless, as a consequence of a just lately handed California legislation meant to measure felony justice reform, courts at the moment are required to impose the center size of a potential jail time period except there are aggravating circumstances.

Decide Herriford had beforehand denied Tory Lanez’s request for a retrial. The Canadian citizen additionally doubtlessly faces deportation from the USA after he serves his sentence.