A$AP Rocky's Reason For Turning Down Plea Deal In Shooting Case Revealed

A$AP Rocky is not compromising his innocence and creative freedom for the plea deal offer in his ongoing case. The rapper has rejected the offer placed before him, and new information suggests that it was because it is detrimental to his career advancement.

A$AP Rocky is in court following allegations that he fired a gun at his friend Terell Ephron on November 6, 2021.

The recording artist communicated his decision today through his attorney, Joe Tacopina. He described the plea deal as a career suicide and reiterated his innocence in the case.

The plea deal he was presented with included a 180-day jail sentence, a guilty plea to the most serious of the two felonies he faced—assault with a semiautomatic weapon—and a 7-year suspended sentence.

He would also bag 3 years of probation and a requirement to complete 500 hours of community service should he accept the offer. An insider from the artist's camp claimed he risks losing all his career endorsements should he accept the offer.

"This would effectively end his career because he would lose all of his endorsement contracts, including Gucci, Puma, the Met Gala, and, most important, he would not be able to tour, and his career would be over," the source noted.

Per TMZ, the artist also reportedly fears that the federal authorities will have him under their control for eight years, and he is unwilling to trade his freedom for anything.

The Blast reported that more than 100 prospective jurors were called in on the initial day of Rocky's trial. The potential jurors were reportedly all cross-examined to confirm if Rocky's connection to Rihanna might sway their judgments.

Judge Mark Arnold has announced his intention to expedite the jury selection process, aiming to commence opening statements as soon as Wednesday. He is also implementing strict time limits on attorneys' questioning of potential jurors. Arnold told the prospective jurors:

"Mr. Mayers is an entertainer. His name is A$AP Rocky. His life partner is also an entertainer. Her name is Rihanna. Because Mr. Mayers is an entertainer, a celebrity, that cannot harm him, and it cannot benefit him."

The judge will also let the media cover the entire process after the jury selection is complete for the sake of transparency.

The rapper's legal woes began when he got into an altercation with his childhood friend near a Hollywood hotel on November 6, 2021.

Rocky reportedly fired off a gun in the heat of the conflict, and Ephron claimed the bullets grazed his knuckles, resulting in an injury. The encounter allegedly occurred due to a series of feuds that previously existed between the friends.

A preliminary hearing was held following the allegations in November 2021, where the presiding judge, M.L. Villar, declared that the evidence provided was incriminating enough to begin a trial against Rocky on the charges leveled against him.

Tacopina reacted to Villar's pronouncement in 2021, claiming they were disappointed at his statement but not surprised. "We expected to go to trial, we've been planning for trial all along. Rocky is going to be vindicated when all this is said and done without question," the attorney concluded.

The aftermath of Villar's ruling reportedly created a large vacuum in his romantic relationship with singer Rihanna.

An insider close to the couple claimed they have been fighting a lot because "he's just got no patience for anything." The source added that Rocky had also developed mood swings.

The effect also spilled over to their bedroom activities, which the insider noted had become nonexistent, stating that they were too stressed with the entire situation.

Rihanna also carries the fear of becoming a single mother to two kids should Rocky get convicted to serve a lengthy jail term. The possibility of raising her boys alone weighs the business mogul down.

The Blast reported that State Farm declined to offer liability insurance to a father of two as he navigates his legal dispute with ASAP Relli. The insurance company filed a claim stating that it provided homeowners insurance to Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers. 

This policy, numbered 71-C8-W205-1, was active from April 10, 2021, to April 10, 2022. State Farm noted that the policy covered damages if someone gets hurt or property gets damaged due to an accident. 

The policy also pays for legal defense if someone sues, but it will not cover criminal charges. The policy defines bodily injury as physical harm to a person, excluding diseases transmitted by the insured or emotional distress, unless it is connected to physical injury. 

State Farm contended that its insurance policy does not obligate the company to offer a defense or financial compensation for any bodily injury claims involving Ephron.

Which way will the hammer of justice swing in A$AP Rocky's case?