Late last year, just before Christmas, Tory Lanez was convicted of three felonies from the July 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. Megan, Tory and several friends had been partying in LA when Tory shot Megan and told her “dance, bitch.” Following the shooting, Tory then engaged in one of the most toxic and public gaslighting campaigns I’ve ever seen, helped along by some of the most disgusting people within the music industry. Megan has really been through it, and Tory’s conviction was a welcome relief. Now Tory has been sentenced to ten years in prison:
Canadian rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of shooting hip-hop superstar Megan Thee Stallion in the foot after the pair left a Los Angeles party in 2020. The hearing began Monday and wrapped up Tuesday, ending a high-profile case in which Megan, 28, was subjected to what prosecutors called “repeated and grotesque attacks.” It cast a spotlight on the scrutiny Black women face when they report abuse.
A jury convicted Lanez, 31, who pleaded not guilty, of three felony charges in December: assault with a semi-automatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Lanez addressed the court before the judge handed down his sentence. He apologized for his actions and said he took full responsibility for the 2020 shooting.
“If I could change it, I would, but I can’t,” he said. “Everything I did that night, I take full responsibility,” he added. “I truly am just trying to be a better person.” Lanez looked surprised but remained quiet after the sentence was announced. The mother of his son burst into tears as she was led out of the courtroom.
Matthew Barhoma, a member of Lanez’s legal team, said appeals for both the sentence and the conviction are planned. The team will also file for bail when it appeals the sentence.
In handing down his sentence, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford said it was “difficult to reconcile” the doting father and committed philanthropist many described with the person who fired a gun five times at Megan.
“Sometimes good people do bad things,” Herriford said. “Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.”
Deputy District Attorney Alex Bott said Lanez called Megan a liar, intimidated her and harassed her. “Not only did the defendant do the heinous act of shooting her; he then subjected her to 2 ½ years of hell,” Bott said after the sentencing.
“Sometimes good people do bad things” – are you f–king joking? Tory not only SHOT a woman, he subjected her to years of harassment and a toxic disinformation campaign online and in real life. He paid off her friends to turn on her, he bad-mouthed Megan in the industry and he never, ever took “full responsibility” for any of it. Ten years is too f–king light. Megan said as much in her victim-impact statement to the court – she didn’t appear in court, but she sent her statement, which reads in part:
“I struggle with being present. After everything that occurred I cannot bring myself back to being in the same room with Tory. I’ve been tormented and terrorized. He paid bloggers to disseminate false information, he treated my trauma like a joke when I could’ve been dead. He blamed the system, he blamed the press, and as of late he is using his childhood trauma to justify his actions. Slowly but surely, I’m healing. But I’ll never be the same. His crime warrants the full weight of the law.”
Yes. All of what Megan said. I can’t believe the judge said “Sometimes good people do bad things.” In what f–king world is Tory Lanez a good person?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.
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