The prosecution on Wednesday afternoon wrapped its closing arguments as prosecutors highlighted to jurors 47 pieces of evidence that all point to Tory Lanez being the shooter and urging that he be convicted.
Tory Lanez shooting trial has seized the attention of the hip-hop community as many await the outcome of the trial that approaches the end of two weeks. On Wednesday, the trial continued with Tory electing not to take the stand and testify in his defense.
Tory Lanez’s bodyguard was also to be called by the defense on Wednesday, but after the bombshell testimony of Sean Kelly, who claimed to see Tory, his driver Jaquan Smith, and Kelsey Harris beating Megan Thee Stallion on Nichols Canyon Road before she was shot, the defense decided to move ahead with closing arguments to not force the trial to continue past the Christmas holidays.
Lanez’s lawyer George Mgdesyan told the court that his client didn’t want the trial’s end delayed any longer.
In the meantime, the prosecution successfully wrapped closing arguments while the defense will continue on Thursday. In their arguments, the prosecution went over approximately 47 pieces of evidence they presented in the trial while Tory Lanez had less than half a dozen- a photo of Kelsey Harris and a few Instagram posts, Law and Crime journalist Meghann Cuniff said.
Among the prosecution’s evidence is an audio recording of Kelly’s 911 call, bodycam footage of the arrest of Kelsey and Tory, the surveillance video that captured the five gunshots that were fired, a map of Nichols Canyon Road where the shooting allegedly took place, photographic evidence of spent shell casings, an acrylic nail, a photo of Tory Lanez after being arrested, blood stains of Megan’s feet in the street, and photo of the broken chain and pendant left in the road when police arrived.
According to Cuniff, jurors will also be given a photo of the handgun that reportedly fired the five shots, blood in the car Lanez was in, and a suitcase found in the car, as well as photos of Tory and Kelsey and Tory’s driver Jaquan Smith while at the police station.
Also jurors will also get an audio recording of a phone call Tory made from jail to Kelsey where he apologized (although in the call, he doesn’t say what he is apologizing for), texts sent to Megan Thee Stallion, photos of Megan’s bloodied feet, and the medical report from her x-ray as well as Kelsey’s texts sent to Megan’s missing bodyguard Justin Edison and her September interview with prosecutors.
In closing arguments, Deputy DA Alexander Bott summed up his charge to the jury with one sentence from Megan’s testimony placed on a PowerPoint for the jury.
“If I would have known that coming out and speaking my truth would come with people agreeing with me being shot, if I would known, I would have started to lose my confidence and started to feel like damn, maybe I should be dead,” the quote read.
Later as he concluded, the prosecutor said, “This is the critical question in this case: Was Meg telling the truth that afternoon?” Bott asked. “I think everybody in this courtroom knows the answer to that question.”
In the meantime, Tory’s lawyer began his closing arguments reminding the jury that the defendant has no burden of proof and it is the prosecution’s job to prove the rapper is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mgdesyan, said, “It’s not my job to prove innocence. It’s the people’s job to prove their case.”
In his arguments, Mgdesyan focused on the inconsistencies of Megan’s testimony and her out-of-court statements that she had not slept with Tory and that she had claimed she suffered injuries to her feet from broken glass.
The defense lawyer also addressed key parts of the testimonies that claimed that Tory Lanez shot Megan Thee Stallion, including Megan’s claim that the rapper leaned over the door when he was shooting.
The lawyer pointed out Tory’s 5’2″ height and joked, “I don’t even know if he can get over the door to shoot,” which led to Tory giggling. The jurors didn’t seem amused by the joke, though, Cuniff reported.
While admitting that an injustice occurred and that Megan was shot, the attorney went on to say she lied and that Tory shot her.
“My client is being falsely accused. Megan Pete is a liar. She lied about everything in this case,” Mgdesyan told jurors.
Mgdesyan also raised points as to why Tory was not charged with assault for also hitting Kelsey as the prosecution claims and claimed that Lanez was an innocent party who was trying to stop the fight between Kelsey Harris and Megan Thee Stallion.
“Ms. Pete was drunk. Ms Pete was acting aggressive,” the attorney said.
He continued that Tory has also suffered a lot more than Megan over the past two years – “You know who it’s been bad for? That man right there,” he said, pointing at Tory.
He also questioned why Tory Lanez was not charged with assault if prosecutors think Tory assaulted Kelsey.
The defense continues its closing arguments early on Thursday.
