US Congresswoman Calls For Tory Lanez's Pardon After Prison Stabbing Incident

By Chukwudi Onyewuchi on May 19, 2025 at 8:30 PM EDT

Tory Lanez performs at The Forum in England
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Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna has called for Tory Lanez's freedom.

The politician posted a plea for the rapper's freedom on social media, which has caught the attention of many fans.

Luna's call comes a week after Lanez was brutally stabbed multiple times in prison, where he is currently serving a 10-year jail term for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

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Congresswoman Makes Special Request To California Governor

On Monday, Luna took to Twitter to share a link to a petition championed by the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety asking California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson.

In addition to sharing the link, Luna made an impassioned plea to Newsom.

She wrote, "I am calling on Gov. Newsom @CAgovernor to review Tory Lanez's case and issue a pardon."

Luna continued, "His 10-year sentence was based on flawed evidence, political pressure, and prosecutorial bias. Justice must be blind— not driven by headlines."

She concluded by writing, "Free Tory Lanez."

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Reactions To Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's Call For Tory Lanez's Pardon

Tory Lanez
MEGA

Luna's request to the California Governor generated wide-ranging reactions from netizens, with some supporting her call while others questioned it.

One person in support wrote, "At one point, I was on Megan Thee Stallion's side, but I actually took time to read this case Jesus Christ, bro... it is so messy and inconsistent.. and the people that are upset are the people that have never read into the case at all. They're just getting all their information from Twitter."

Another person supporting the call for Lanez's release wrote, "Absolutely agree. Every case deserves a fair review, free from politics or media pressure. Equal justice should always come first."

A third person added, "Thank you for using your voice to bring an innocent man home."

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On the other hand, several others slammed Luna, asking her to focus on what she was elected for. One person wrote, "Stick to Florida and stay out of California business."

Another person added, "@RepLuna, you are totally wrong. Have you reviewed the case? There was nothing political about this shooting that occurred in 2020. You have been lied to and misled. This man had 3 years to gather a defense and have his witnesses. Including his personal bodyguard who disappeared then on the last day suddenly appeared. His own witness a neighbor put the weapon in his hands. So by all means, let's review the evidence. You will find the verdict was justified. You just made it a political issue."

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Tory Lanez's Defense Team Presents New Evidence

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's call for Lanez's pardon follows new evidence presented by his attorneys in their continued fight for his freedom.

On May 14, The Blast reported that Unite the People (UTP), a nonprofit focused on legal advocacy, held a press conference introducing a statement from Bradley James, the former driver and bodyguard of Megan's ex-best friend, Kelsey Harris.

James claimed he overheard Harris confess to firing the weapon herself, with Lanez intervening to stop her.

According to James, Lanez never fired or touched the gun.

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Alleged Loopholes And Conflicting Evidence

Tory Lanez performing at Brixton Academy
MAR/Capital Pictures / MEGA

UTP's legal consultant, Walter Roberts, stated that James's account aligns with previous trial testimony from Sean Kelly, the only non-involved eyewitness, who also placed Harris near the weapon.

Roberts raised concerns about investigative inconsistencies, pointing out that Lanez was the only person tested for DNA, despite unknown DNA being found on the gun.

He questioned why Harris and the driver, Jaequan Smith, were not tested or if their results were withheld.

The new claims added further complexity to the case, which has been riddled with controversy and unanswered questions from the very beginning.

Tory Lanez Was Stabbed In Prison

UTP's presentation of new evidence came two days after Lanez was brutally stabbed 14 times on May 12, 2025, at California Correctional Institution.

The attacker, 42-year-old Santino Casio, is a convicted murderer with a long history of violent offenses while incarcerated.

Casio reportedly ambushed Lanez in a housing unit, causing both of the rapper's lungs to collapse.

Emergency responders rushed Lanez to the hospital, where he was placed on a breathing device.

Despite the severe injuries, he is now breathing on his own and is in stable condition.

Meanwhile, authorities began an investigation into how Casio was able to carry out the attack, given his violent background.

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