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A$AP Rocky will have to face Terell Ephron, formerly known as A$AP Relli, in court following their recent legal battle.
According to a report Rolling Stone published on Wednesday, February 26, an attorney for Ephron told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Fahey there are no plans to drop his civil lawsuit against the "Tailor Swif" rapper even after a jury found him not guilty in his criminal trial. Ephron's lawyer Melissa Mikail told the judge her client's claims still had merit despite the verdict. After the suit was placed on hold for two years, Judge Fahey lifted the stay and set a trial date.
“We intend to continue litigating this case,” Mikail said during a hearing earlier this week. “The standard in a criminal case is much higher than the preponderance of the evidence standard in a civil matter. We still believe that our claims have merit, and we intend on fully litigating them.”
The former A$AP Mob member filed an assault and battery lawsuit against A$AP Rocky in 2022 several months after Rocky was arrested. Rocky pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon. In his civil suit, Ephron accused Rocky of firing a gun at him during their verbal dispute near a West Hollywood hotel in 2021. He maintained that a bullet grazed his left hand above his knuckle. Toward the end of 2022, both parties agreed to put the lawsuit on hold until the end of the criminal trial.
During the trial, Rocky's attorney Joe Tacopina said Rocky was carrying a prop gun on the night of the altercation. He called on two witnesses who testified that Rocky got a faux gun from the set of his "D.M.B." music video. Tacopina said the fake glock was loaded with blanks and the rapper carried it around for protection after several experiences with stalkers and home invaders. A jury decided to acquit Rocky after three hours following the three-week trial.
“My position is there’s no longer a basis for them," Rocky's civil attorney James Sargent said. "Mr. Ephron testified in the criminal case as to the facts and circumstances. The jury’s acquittal speaks volumes as to how they valued that testimonial evidence."
Sargent believes his client will come out victorious once again. He also said Rocky plans to decline all offers for a settlement despite Ephron's previous demand for $30 million. "We look forward to full vindication,” he said. “The plaintiff can take a sober assessment of the outcome of the criminal case and change course.”