Rapper Tory Lanez‘s father grew emotional in court docket Monday as he described his son dropping his mom at age 11 as a choose prepares to condemn Lanez for taking pictures and wounding hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion.
Los Angeles prosecutors are asking a choose at hand down a 13-year sentence to the 31-year-old Lanez, whose authorized identify is Daystar Peterson. Lanez was convicted of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a car and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Megan testified throughout the trial that Lanez had fired the gun in the back of her toes and shouted for her to bop as she walked away from an SUV through which they’d been driving in summer time 2020. The pair had left a celebration at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills dwelling.
Lanez’s father, Sonstar Peterson, a Christian minister, choked again tears as he talked about his spouse, Luella, dying only a few days after exhibiting the primary signs of a uncommon blood dysfunction that might result in her demise.
“I don’t think anybody ever gets over that,” he mentioned of their youngest baby, Lanez. “But his music became his outlet.”
The elder Peterson was one in every of seven individuals who had delivered statements on Lanez’s character and charitable giving by the point a brief recess was referred to as earlier than 3 p.m. Pacific. Among the many character witnesses was the mom of Lanez’s younger son, who spoke of his qualities as a father.
Dozens extra wrote letters to Herriford, together with rapper Iggy Azalea, who requested the choose at hand down a sentence that was “transformative, not life-destroying.”
The choose mentioned Lanez’s son, who’s 6 years outdated, additionally despatched in a handwritten letter, however Herriford didn’t describe it additional.
A chaplain from Los Angeles County jail appeared in court docket and mentioned that Lanez has led every day prayer teams which have eased tensions within the protecting custody unit the place he has been held since his December conviction.
“It’s a pretty amazing sight,” the chaplain, Miles McNerney, mentioned.
Sonstar Peterson additionally grew emotional when he expressed his remorse for rising in court docket after jurors returned with their verdict and denouncing the “wicked system” that led to his son’s conviction. Deputies wrestled him from the courtroom on the time.
“I want to personally apologize to you,” he instructed the choose Monday. “It was an overwhelming time.”
Herriford is anticipated to condemn Lanez on Monday afternoon, after extra statements are given.
Prosecutors mentioned Megan could seem in court docket to offer a press release, or there could also be one learn for her. She was not within the courtroom for the preliminary proceedings.
The choose discovered earlier Monday that Megan was an particularly susceptible sufferer when she was shot, however that Lanez was not particularly merciless or callous in firing at her, authorized components that might affect the sentence he arms down.
“She has permanent scarring, physically,” Deputy District Lawyer Alexander Bott mentioned in court docket. “And she certainly will have emotional scarring for the rest of her life.”
Legal professionals for Lanez mentioned in a sentencing memo that he ought to get solely probation and be launched from jail to enter a residential substance abuse program. They plan to enchantment his conviction.
Lanez started releasing mixtapes in 2009 and noticed a gradual rise in reputation, shifting on to major-label albums. Megan Thee Stallion, now 28, was already a serious rising star on the time of the taking pictures, and her prominence has surged since. She gained a Grammy for finest new artist in 2021, and has had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” that includes Beyoncé, and as a visitor with Cardi B on “WAP.”
The allegations and subsequent costs in opposition to Lanez unleashed a number of waves of misinformation and on-line vitriol aimed on the artist born Megan Pete, prompting conversations about misogynoir — a particular type of misogyny skilled by Black ladies.
