Tory Lanez has dodged bribery charges after the rapper was accused of offering $1 million in hush money to his alleged shooting victim Megan Thee Stallion and her former friend, Kelsey Harris.
On Monday (Dec. 19), Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta motioned to add two witness tampering charges onto the list of charges for which Lanez is currently on trial.
The request was made following testimony by both Megan and Harris that the Canadian offered the pair the sum of money in exchange for not detailing the events surrounding the shooting. To back up her motion, Ta cited California Penal Code 136.1, which states that it’s a crime to attempt to persuade a witness from giving truthful testimony in any form or fashion.
However, the presiding judge denied Ta’s motion, ruling that it would put Lanez and his legal team in a “difficult position” due to their lack of notice of the proposed charge and their inability to properly create a defense against them. “I think it’s unfair at this juncture, so I would deny that motion,” the judge said.
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The denial of the prosecution’s motion marks the latest win for the Grammy nominated artist, who is on trial for the 2020 shooting incident in which Megan Thee Stallion was shot in the foot. According to forensic scientists, Lanez’ DNA was not found on the magazine of the gun used in the shooting, casting doubt over him being the triggerman. However, tests to determine if his DNA was found on the gun were inconclusive and could not clear him of possessing the gun or rule him out when determining the shooter.
Lanez is currently facing charges of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a concealed, unregistered firearm and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. He has plead not guilty to all charges and has continuously maintained his innocence. If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in prison, as well as deportation to Canada.
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