LOS ANGELES – Rapper Tory Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, is expected to be sentenced on Monday for felony convictions related to the shooting and wounding of hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the feet.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles are seeking a 13-year prison term for the 31-year-old rapper. They emphasized in a sentencing memorandum that Lanez’s social media posts about the case re-traumatized Megan and led to his followers attacking her.
Megan may appear in court on Monday to give a victim impact statement, or her statement may be read in her absence.
Lanez’s lawyers argue that he should only receive probation and be admitted to a residential substance abuse program. They claim that the evidence leading to his conviction was questionable, and his lack of remorse should not be a factor in sentencing. They also mention alcohol abuse and childhood trauma as potential factors if the allegations were true.
The rapper has been in jail since December, when a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
During the trial, Megan testified that Lanez fired the gun at her feet and urged her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding in the summer of 2020. The incident occurred after they left a party at Kylie Jenner’s home.
The sentencing will take place on a higher security floor than the trial due to anticipated tension. Lanez’s father previously caused a scene in the courtroom after the verdict was read.
Judge David Herriford will preside over the sentencing, denying a motion for a new trial from Lanez’s defense attorneys. His lawyers plan to appeal the conviction.
The shooting incident and subsequent charges against Lanez sparked online vitriol and misinformation targeting Megan Thee Stallion, raising awareness about misogynoir, a specific form of misogyny experienced by Black women.
Megan, who is now 28, has experienced a rise in prominence and success in the music industry since the incident, winning a Grammy for best new artist in 2021 and achieving No. 1 singles with “Savage” featuring Beyonce and “WAP” as a guest with Cardi B.