The Canadian-born rapper faces up to 20 years in prison and possible deportation
Daystart Peterson, the Canadian rapper known as Tory Lanez, was found guilty on Friday of shooting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion in both her feet following an argument in the summer of 2020.
Mr. Lanez, 30, was convicted of three felonies, assault with a semiautomatic handgun, carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. He faces more than 20 years in prison and could be deported.
The jury deliberated for around seven hours over two days, following a nearly-two week trial. Upon conviction, Mr. Lanez was immediately taken into custody and sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2023.
Megan Thee Stallion was not present in the court as the verdict was read, while Mr. Lanez appeared motionless until his father stood up and began shouting at the judge and prosecutors. Bailiffs moved to block his path as he declared “God will judge you.”
Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Megan Thee Stallion, said in a statement: “The jury got it right. I am thankful there is justice for Meg.”
The case was closely watched for both its celebrity participants and what it did or didn’t say in relation to how Black women (famous or otherwise) and famous men accused of abuse, such as Johnny Depp and Harvey Weinstein, are treated in the eyes of the law and in the public sphere.
Mr. Lanez actually saw his fame increase after the shooting, while he earned support both implied and explicit from various corners of the hip-hop universe.
