Rapper Tory Lanez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting and wounding US hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion.
The 31-year-old, real name Daystar Peterson, was handed the sentence at a court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, after proceedings stretched over from Monday.
He was convicted of three felonies: assault with a semi-automatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence in December.
During the trial, the jury heard that Lanez had fired a gun at the back of the WAP singer’s feet and shouted for her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding in summer 2020.
The pair had left a party at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills home.
Edward Welbourn, for the prosecution, said that Megan Thee Stallion had been “lucky” on the night of the shooting, which occurred the night of July 12 2020.
“This was a heinous act of violence against a defenceless woman and a multi-year campaign of harassment,” Mr Welbourn told the court.
“Megan got lucky that night, but her luck shouldn’t negate (Lanez’s) culpability… her luck is not his luck.
“You know what Megan didn’t do? She didn’t shoot anybody. She didn’t embark on a campaign of disinformation.”
Noting that Lanez had fired five shots at the WAP singer, hitting her twice, he added: “This is as serious as it gets.
“If Megan had died, we would be here for a murder sentencing. And she could have died.”
Megan Thee Stallion gave evidence in person during the trial, and in a statement on Monday said she had “not experienced a single day of peace” since the incident.
Noting her absence from the hearing on Tuesday, Mr Welbourn continued: “(Lanez) put Megan through hell while this case was pending.
“She thinks about this case every single day. She was too intimidated and too scared to be in the same courtroom as the defendant.
“She will be affected by this for the rest of her life.
“He asks the court for mercy, but where was the mercy for Megan?”
Lanez did not appear to react as the sentence was read out, but addressed the court before it was handed out, saying he still considered himself and Megan Thee Stallion “friends”.
“That night was a night that everyone was drunk… I said some very immature things,” he said.
“If I could turn back the series of events… I would, but I can’t.
“But to think that I am some sort of callous individual is not the case. The victim was my friend… (and) she still is to this day.
“I did wrong that night and I take full responsibility and culpability for it.”