Topline
The Canadian rapper who shot hip hop artist Megan Thee Stallion will be sentenced to up to 22 years and eight months in prison Tuesday, almost six months after he was convicted of the crime in a high-profile trial that roiled the music industry.
Tory Lanez performs on stage during Wireless Festival 2019 on July 05, 2019 in London, England. … [+]
Key Facts
A jury convicted Lanez in December of three felony charges related to the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion: assault with a semiautomatic handgun, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Megan Thee Stallion said she and Lanez, whose given name is Daystar Peterson, were leaving a Hollywood Hills house party in July of 2020 when he fired a gun at her during an argument about their careers and relationship.
The singer said Lanez told her to “dance b——” before shooting her in the feet while they sat inside a car.
Lanez’s sentencing has been delayed several times after he obtained new attorneys and filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied last month.
What To Watch For
Lanez’s defense attorneys on Tuesday morning pushed to delay his sentencing yet again, but no decision has been made. Prosecutors have asked he be sentenced to 13 years in state prison
Key Background
Lanez’s attorneys argued in court that it wasn’t their client who shot the singer, but a then-friend of Megan Thee Stallion, Kelsey Harris. Megan Thee Stallion said on the witness stand that Lanez immediately tried to cover up the shooting by offering her and Harris a $1 million bribe and claiming he was “just too drunk.” Lanez later released an album addressing the shooting several times and claiming Megan and her team were “trying to frame him.” The charges against Lanez drew polarizing reactions from both fans and other music industry professionals, and rapper Drake faced criticism for lyrics suggesting Megan lied about the shooting.
Further Reading
Rapper Tory Lanez Found Guilty Of Shooting Megan Thee Stallion (Forbes)
How Megan Thee Stallion’s Shooting Case Reveals Our Internalized Misogynoir (Forbes)
Megan Thee Stallion’s Forbes Cover Interview (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/06/13/tory-lanez-who-shot-megan-thee-stallion-set-for-sentencing-tuesday/