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Tory Lanez files to appeal Megan Thee Stallion shooting conviction citing 'irrelevant evidence'

Tory Lanez's lawyer claims his conviction should be thrown out due to 'irrelevant evidence'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tory Lanez won't go down without a fight! After a jury found Lanez guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in December, the rapper has now appealed the verdict in court on March 29.

The 30-year-old rapper's newly hired defense attorney Jose Baez claimed that prosecutors provided an inappropriate shirtless image of Lanez with a gun on his chest, reports TMZ. Baez claimed that the photo was presented by the prosecution to show the jury that his client had a fondness for weaponry, while the prosecution insisted that it was merely used to identify the defendant. Kelsey Harris, a friend of Stallion's who was in the car on the night of the 2020 shooting, was interviewed for 80 minutes, as per Baez, although Harris allegedly later refuted a majority of what she said.

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What happened during the shooting incident? 

Lanez was found guilty in December 2022 of shooting Megan Thee Stallion, born Megan Pete, at the back of the feet - after a verbal altercation outside Kylie Jenner's home in July 2020, reports Page Six. Stallion reported on Instagram Live that she was hanging out with Lanez and Jenner, a few hours before the police responded to a "shots fired" report outside of a Hollywood Hills residence.

The rapper was charged with two felonies - carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a moving vehicle and assault with a semi-automatic weapon (personal use of a firearm). In addition, he was found guilty of a further felony count for careless gun firing. The 'Hot Girl Summer' emcee, 28, spoke in court about the circumstances leading up to her severe foot injury.

"I’m in shock. I’m scared," the native Houstonian said in her testimony. "I hear the gun going off and I can’t believe he’s shooting at me," Stallion continued. She further claimed that Lanez gave Harris and her a 1 million dollar sum each in exchange for their silence over the incident.

Tory Lanez faces 22 years in prison

Stallion testified in court that in the summer of 2020, in the Hollywood Hills, Lanez, 30, shot at the back of her feet and shouted at her, "dance, b**ch!" Stallion claimed that after she started criticizing his music, their argument turned heated. Additionally, the jury found that the attack had aggravating circumstances, which means Lanez, who will be sentenced next month, could spend up to 22 years in prison and be deported back to Canada.

Alex Spiro, Megan's lawyer said, "The jury got it right. I am thankful there is justice for Meg." Lanez initially entered a not-guilty plea to the accusations and continued to assert his innocence throughout the trial.

In 2009, Lanez started producing mixtapes. As his popularity expanded, he transitioned to major-label albums. His most recent two songs made the top 10 of the Billboard charts. At the time of the shooting, Stallion was already a significant emerging celebrity, and since then, her fame has risen significantly.