Tory Lanez continues to proclaim his innocence following his conviction in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting.
On Friday, the incarcerated rapper returned to social media to pen an open letter to L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón in which he called out the deputy district attorneys and claimed that he was “robbed and deprived of a fair trial.”
“Today I take a stance as an innocent Black Man, wrongfully convicted of a crime I DID not commit,” he wrote in the letter, which he also read out loud during a phone call from prison. “I’ve watched 2 district attorneys from your office by the names of Kathy Ta and Alex Bott unlawfully misuse their authority to hide and suppress any and all exculpatory evidence that exonerates me, or furthers my innocence. I was completely robbed and deprived of a fair trial.”
Lanez was convicted on three felony counts in December. His lawyers plans to argue for a new trial during a May 8 hearing. He says he owes it to himself, his family, and “hundreds of thousands of Black and Hispanic minorities” to fight for his freedom.
“For 3 years, the prosecution has manipulated a false narrative, that has left me with no choice but to expose, and make aware, the practices, the behind door deals, and the unjust system used to illegally convict me and countless other minorities,” he continues. “We elected you because of your outstanding eminence in making fair and correct judgements in the justice of people of color.”
He ended by asking that Gascón “simply do what is fair and right by the laws of California, and most importantly in the eyes of God.”
Earlier this week, Megan Thee Stallion spoke out for the first and “final time” since the guilty verdict. In an essay for ELLE, the Houston rapper opened up about her experiences of the past three years and her path to healing.
“When the guilty verdict came on Dec. 23, 2022, it was more than just vindication for me, it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them,” she wrote. “The physical and mental scars from this entire ordeal will always sting, but I’m taking the appropriate steps to resume my life.”
Lanez, who is facing 22 years in prison and deportation, filed a motion for a new trial last month. His lawyers argue that certain evidence and statements made by witnesses on the stand were prejudicial to their client, including an Instagram comment made by Lanez’s account claiming that Megan’s former best friend Kelsey Harris was not the shooter.