Civil rights leader challenges jury selection process in Rocky’s Los Angeles court case
A$AP Rocky has a powerful advocate as he prepares to stand trial for a 2021 shooting incident. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton has spoken out against the jury selection process, which he argues is unfair and unrepresentative of Los Angeles’ diverse population.
On January 22, Sharpton criticized the selection of only four Black individuals as potential jurors out of 106 candidates. He pointed out that there were no Black jurors among the first 30 candidates, calling the situation “absolutely ridiculous.” Sharpton added on X (formerly Twitter), “Something appears to be very wrong with the system,” and pledged to monitor the trial closely, urging the Los Angeles District Attorney to ensure A$AP Rocky’s right to a fair trial.
While Rocky and his legal team have not raised concerns about jury selection, Sharpton’s intervention adds a layer of attention to the case. The rapper faces two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for allegedly shooting former friend and A$AP Mob member A$AP Relli (Terell Ephron) during a dispute in November 2021.
If convicted, Rocky could face up to 24 years in prison. Despite the charges, Rocky recently rejected a plea deal and is preparing for a 15-day trial, where his defense plans to present witnesses who will testify that the gun in question was a prop carried for security purposes.