A$AP Rocky will face judgment from a jury of his peers in his felony assault trial—but notably, none of those peers are Black.
Jury selection for the trial, stemming from allegations that Rocky shot his former associate A$AP Relli, concluded in downtown Los Angeles with a panel comprising seven women and five men. However, despite Los Angeles’ diverse demographics, not a single juror is Black. The selected jurors represent white, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds. Additionally, the four alternate jurors, all women, are also not Black.
This absence is significant given that both Rocky and the alleged victim are African-American. Presiding over the case will be Judge Mark Arnold, who is white.
During jury selection, prospective jurors were asked questions about potential biases, including whether they were fans of Rihanna, A$AP Rocky’s partner and the mother of his two children. While her fandom was considered a potential factor, it appears neither the prosecution nor Rocky’s defense attorneys raised concerns over the racial makeup of the jury during the selection process.
The trial is set to begin Friday morning. Rocky was charged in 2022 with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, to which he pled not guilty and was subsequently released on bond.
This trial represents a significant gamble for A$AP Rocky. Prosecutors previously offered a plea deal with a 180-day county jail sentence, though he likely would have served far less time due to jail overcrowding. However, the rapper rejected the deal, opting instead to fight the charges in court. If convicted, he faces up to 24 years in state prison.
