After the long wait, the felony assault trial against Tory Lanez for allegedly shooting Megan thee Stallion in the foot has begun.
Tory Lanez (legal name Daystar Peterson) is facing more than 22 years in prison if convicted. Opening statements began today as Los Angeles County’s deputy district attorney, Alexander Bott testified that it was indeed Lanez who shot Megan in the foot in July 2020, following a verbal altercation in the car.
Bott also presented texts from Megan’s former best friend Kelsey Harris sent to Megan’s bodyguard Justin Edison minutes after the shooting, which read: “Help,” “Tory Shot Meg,” and “911.”
Even though Megan and Kelsey’s relationship isn’t what it used to be, Bott told the court that she’ll take the stand in defense of Megan.
“Kelsey, she’ll tell you she didn’t know if the defendant still had this gun,” Bott said, according to Rolling Stone. “She didn’t know what the defendant was capable of, if he was going to continue his assault. Her defensive instincts kicked into gear, and she approached the defendant. She’ll tell you the defendant physically assaulted her at that point. He pulled her by her hair, and he either punched her or slapped her.”
The prosecution also showed a text message Tory sent to Megan shortly after the shooting, which read, “I know you’re probably never going to talk to me again, but I genuinely want you to know I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart. I was just too drunk. Nonetheless, shit should have never happened, and I can’t change what did. I just feel horrible because I genuinely just got too drunk.”
Megan Thee Stallion vs Tory Lanez: A timeline of events
Furthermore, the Deputy DA added that the bodyguard, Edison will also testify during the trial.
“Justin will tell you that the defendant admitted much of what he admitted in the call and the text, that he was the triggerman that night, that he did the shooting. But he said he was just shooting in the air, and shooting at the ground. But importantly, he told Justin he was the person who fired the gun,” Bott said.
George Mgdesyan, Tory Lanez’s defense attorney, argued that it was intact Kelsey Harris who shot the Texas-born rapper after they got into a verbal and allegedly physical confrontation.
“Jealousy, this case is about jealousy,” Mgdesyan told jurors during his opening statement on Monday.
The trial is scheduled to last for at least two weeks.
