Rapper Tory Lanez from Brampton denied new trial for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

Brampton-born rapper Tory Lanez legal troubles continued when he was denied a new trial after he was convicted of shooting fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

Last December, Lanez, born Daysar Peterson, was convicted in a Los Angeles court of shooting Megan in the feet. He had been charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle.

He had been arrested on July 12, 2020, with a concealed weapon in his car. Musician Megan Thee Stallion had previously been in the vehicle but exited after a heated exchange about the quality of Lanez’s music. Sometime after the shooting, she reported that Lanez shot her in both feet to refute an earlier TMZ report she was injured with broken glass.

Three days later Megan underwent surgery to remove the bullets still stuck in her feet. In an Instagram Live on July 27, Megan told her followers about the incident through tears and said, “I didn’t tell the police what happened immediately right there because I didn’t want to die.”

She said Lanez had opened fire at her feet following an argument after a large house party.

Lanez denied the allegations in nearly every song on his fifth album Daystar. Megan fired back, not through song, but through her lawyers. They claimed Lanez was trying to discredit Megan through a smear campaign.

Meanwhile, following breakout hit singles, EPs and a guest appearance of Cardi B’s “WAP,” Megan released her first studio album, Good News featuring the acclaimed diss track “Shots Fired” about the shooting. Megan went from strength to strength over the following years winning three Grammys, releasing a second album, and guest starring on Marvel Studio’s She-Hulk series. Lanez meanwhile released two more Billboard Top 10 albums and was re-arrested for breaking a protection order related to the case.

Megan told the court on Dec 13 Lanez became enraged when she insulted his music while they were in the car, according to the BBC. She said Lanez shouted at her to dance as she walked away from the car and fired his gun at her feet. Following one day of jury deliberation Lanez was convicted of all counts on December 23, 2022.

However, after his conviction, Lanez’s lawyers challenged the ruling and argued evidence had been wrongly admitted. According to AP reports, the move is common in advance of an appeal to higher courts which his lawyers intend to do.

They had prepared a large presentation about the evidence they wished to challenge and their arguments Lanez’s trial lawyer, who is not involved with the appeal was ill-prepared to take the case. However, Superior Court Judge David Herriford did not allow the presentation and ordered a narrow legal argument.

Lanez was born in Brampton in 1992. After travelling the United States with his preacher father, Sonstar Petersen, he settled in Toronto. He launched his career in 2009 with several mix tapes before jumping onto larger labels. He has since engaged with numerous beefs with other artists including a lengthy feud with Drake.

No sentencing date has been set.