Trial Set to Begin Amid Controversy Over Jury Composition
A$AP Rocky’s upcoming shooting trial, set to begin on January 24, raises concerns about jury diversity. The 12-person jury, made up of seven women and five men, consists of individuals who are either white, Asian or Latino. Notably, none of the jurors are Black, despite both the accused, A$AP Rocky, and the alleged victim, A$AP Relli, being Black.
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton criticized the lack of Black representation in the jury pool, calling it unfair and questioning the impartiality of the system. Sharpton expressed his concerns on social media, pointing out that out of 106 potential jurors in Los Angeles, none were Black in the initial pool, emphasizing the lack of fairness given the city’s racial diversity. He has vowed to monitor the trial to ensure that A$AP Rocky is afforded a fair trial as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
The charges against A$AP Rocky stem from an alleged shooting incident in Hollywood in November 2021, where he is accused of shooting A$AP Relli during a dispute. Rocky has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 24 years in prison.
Rocky recently rejected a plea deal that would have resulted in a reduced sentence, choosing to fight the charges in court instead. His defence team is expected to argue that the gun involved in the incident was a prop intended for security purposes. The trial is expected to last for 15 days, with opening statements scheduled to begin shortly.
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