Megan Thee Stallion received a special commendation from the Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón on Friday night after the jury came back with a guilty verdict for Tory Lanez.
The Canadian artist was on trial for felony assault charges and other related charges, and while the verdict came as a shock for Tory Lanez and his family, many of Megan’s fans believed the rapper and continued to support her. Among those who had praises for the Houston rapper who took the stand where she was cross-examined about gritty details about her sexual past was LA County D.A Gascón.
In a statement after the verdict was read, he noted that the Houston rapper, whose real name is Megan Pete, is brave.
“I want to start by highlighting the bravery of Megan Pete. You showed incredible courage and vulnerability with your testimony despite repeated and grotesque attacks that you did not deserve. You faced unjust and despicable scrutiny that no woman should ever face and you have been an inspiration to others across LA County and the nation,” Gascón said.
The D.A. also said that many black victims like Megan were afraid to speak up and called on society to do better.
“Women, especially Black women, are afraid to report crimes like assault and sexual violence because they are too often not believed. This trial, for the second time this month, highlighted the numerous ways that our society must do better for women,” he added.
The senior lawman also had words of recognition for his team and the jurors despite the case taking place the week of Christmas.
#BREAKING: District Attorney George Gascón announced that Daystar Peterson, the rap artist known as Tory Lanez, was convicted of assault today in the 2020 shooting and wounding of former female friend Megan Pete in the Hollywood Hills.#LACounty #LADAOffice
Full statement: pic.twitter.com/ntcl7nYCbH
— George Gascón (@LADAOffice) December 23, 2022
Tory Lanez is presently being held by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department as he awaits sentencing on January 27th, 2023. He was convicted after a two-week trial that saw at least three witnesses in the trial, including those called by his defense stating that they saw him shooting at Megan Thee Stallion.
Tory Lanez’s attorney, George Mgdesyan, also released a statement expressing shock at the guilty verdict saying his client was dealt an injustice by the California justice system.
“We are shocked by the verdict,” Mgdesyan said. “There was not sufficient evidence to convict Mr. Peterson. We believe this case was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We will be exploring all options including an appeal.”
Tory Lanez’s lawyer George Mgdesyan just released a statement:
“We are shocked by the verdict. There was not sufficient evidence to convict Mr. Peterson. We believe this case was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We will be exploring all options including an appeal.”
— Nancy Dillon (@Nancy__Dillon) December 24, 2022
Tory Lanez, born Dastar Peterson, is a 30-year-old Canadian rapper/singer/songwriter who has gained popularity in the hip hop and R&B genres in the 2010s.
Lanez began his career as a teenager, releasing mixtapes and performing at local shows in Toronto, where he gained a following through his energetic and upbeat live performances often included catchy and upbeat music. In 2015, he released his debut studio album, I Told You, which reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned the hit single “Say It,” which reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Since then, Tory Lanez has released a handful of hugely successful albums and singles, including Chixtape 5 and The New Toronto 3, which have both received critical acclaim. In addition to his music career, Lanez has also dabbled in acting, with appearances in television shows such as The Love Bülow Show and The Rap Game.
Tory Lanez is known for his smooth and melodic flow, as well as his catchy and upbeat production style. The singer/rapper often injects elements of R&B and pop into his signature sound, and his lyrics often touch on topics of relationships and love. In addition to his solo work, Lanez has in the past collaborated with the likes of Meek Mill, Chris Brown, and Jennifer Lopez. He recently expressed his desire to collaborate with fellow Canadian artists, Drake and The Weeknd.
Tory Lanez currently faces up to 22 years in prison for his crimes.
