Tory Lanez Files Appeal In Megan Thee Stallion Case
By Fiyin Olowokandi on March 31, 2023 at 9:45 PM EDT
Tory Lanez continues to fight for his freedom despite the guilty verdict in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting trial!
Daystar Peterson is a Canadian rapper best known by his stage name, Tory Lanez. After receiving recognition for his award-winning songs, the entertainer's reputation went downhill in 2020 following bodily harm accusations.
After the "Savage" songstress's altercation with the Brampton native came to light, both parties desperately fought to prove their narrative as the truth. However, the jury found the hip-hop star guilty of shooting the Texas beauty.
Not one to give up without a fight, Lanez recently filed an appeal to dismiss the charges against him in the shooting trial. Keep reading for more details!
Tory Lanez's Appeals Guilty Verdict In The Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case Over Bad Evidence
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, the "In For It" rapper's latest addition to his defense team Jose Baez claimed that prosecutors attacked his client using "irrelevant evidence."
The renowned criminal defense attorney accused prosecutors of wrongfully submitting a shirtless picture of the Grammy nominee with a firearm tattoo on his chest. Although Megan's lawyers claimed the photo was for identification purposes, Baez believed their intentions were dirty.
The criminal defense attorney alleged that prosecutors chose the picture to manipulate the jury into thinking his client had a weapon penchant. In the court filing, the "Luv" rapper's lawyer further accused prosecutors of threatening to present Lanez's rap lyrics to the jury.
According to Baez, this action was a grave error on their part. He also came after Megan's friend Kelsey Harris, who was in the vehicle during the 2020 shooting.
The attorney noted that prosecutors presented their 80-minute interview with the eyewitness to the jury, where Harris recalled what happened that night. However, Baez pointed out that the "Sweetest Pie" singer's pal later recanted several details from her statements.
Regarding the prosecutors "irrelevant evidence," the defense attorney stated that it was wrong to submit an Instagram post that contained claims from one of Megan's producers. In the comment, the individual alleged that cops had matched bullets from his client's gun to the fragments in the rapper's foot.
Additionally, Baez deemed it improper to accept Megan's statements to the cops after the shooting, where she claimed Lanez begged her not to "say anything" because he was on probation. If the appeal does not stick, the Canadian sensation's sentencing will continue as scheduled for next month.
The rapper faces up to 22 years behind bars for three felony firearms charges. However, Lanez enlisted Baez's help in January to avoid this impending doom despite the attorney's exuberant fees. For those unaware, the criminal defense lawyer has held a spot in the National Trial Lawyers Association's "Top 100 Lawyers" list for four consecutive years.
One of his most famous cases included Casey Anthony's acquittal in 2011. The mother avoided prison and the death penalty following accusations of murdering her two-year-old daughter, Caylee Marie. Sources claimed that Baez's stellar services cost a fortune, with the attorney charging Lanez $200,000 monthly. Following the revelation, Twitter fans had a field day trolling the 30-year-old for footing the lavish bill.
Many believed the Brampton native would get the short end of the stick working with Baez. Some claimed the attorney would take the rapper's money without putting in any effort, while others joked about the Juno award winner ending up broke and in jail.
Bloody Photos Of Megan Thee Stallion's Foot Were Released On Social Media
Following the "Say It" singer's guilty conviction in December, fans first saw what might have happened that fateful night. As reported, a blog called Nique at Nite released the gruesome pictures from Megan's shooting on Instagram.
The photo dump captured scenes from a real-life horror movie with blood splattered on the seats of Lanez's car. Inside the vehicle, there were blood stains on the cover and luggage present alongside a blood-soaked rag on the floor. Photos taken by authorities showed Harris covered in bruises, significantly at her shin, thigh, and scalp.
The most damaging evidence of the horrible nightmare was x-ray photos of Megan's foot. The images captured the entertainer's appendage with two white dots representing bullet holes in her ankle area.
Additionally, the leaked audio of Harris's 911 call captured the "Body" rapper's friend in anguish, sobbing as she revealed her pal had been shot. Summary of the story, Harris confessed that the trio had been fighting, but Lanez took it too far by using a firearm.