Tory Lanez has taken to social media to ask for a new trial and voice his frustrations regarding his conviction.
Addressed to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, the letter unleashes a volley of accusations against Deputy District Attorneys Kathy Ta and Alex Bott, including what Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) called the unlawful misuse of their authority to “hide and suppress any and all exculpatory evidence that exonerates me, or furthers my innocence,” he wrote. Withholding of evidence was not pointed to in the initial motion Lanez’s attorneys filed for a new trial.
The main evidence pointed to by prosecutors was mainly in text messages. One sent by Kelsey Harris to Lanez’s bodyguard the night of the July 2020 incident read “Help” and “Tory shot Meg.” Another message was from Lanez, apologizing to Megan following the shooting. Lanez’s lawyer George Mgdesyan argued that an apologetic call from Lanez to Megan was connected to his romantic involvement with her and Harris — who received immunity in relation to her testimony during the trial — rather than an admission of guilt.
Megan has maintained throughout testimony and interviews that Lanez shot her following an argument in an SUV while the trio (Lanez, Megan and Harris) were leaving a party at Kylie Jenner’s home.
In the letter, Lanez — who faces up to 22 years in prison — maintains his innocence, writing that he was “completely robbed and deprived of a fair trial.” He announces that his lawyers will argue a motion for a new trial on May 8 and aligns himself with “the hundreds of thousands of Black and Hispanic minorities that cannot adequately fight for themselves.”
On Tuesday (April 18), Elle published an op-ed from Megan, which opened, “I don’t want to call myself a victim. As I reflect on the past three years, I view myself as a survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable. Not only did I survive being shot by someone I trusted and considered a close friend, but I overcame the public humiliation of having my name and reputation dragged through the mud by that individual for the entire world to see.”
Megan went on to refer to the letter as “the final time” she would address the case in public. “I’m choosing to change the narrative because I’m more than just my trauma,” she continued.
