Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
Tory Lanez is off to jail to serve out his sentence after a last-ditch motion from his legal team to obtain bail was denied.
On Thursday (Sept. 14), Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford denied a motion for bail brought by a legal team representing the rapper. The filed action to stop the prison sentence Lanez received so he could live in the Los Angeles area with his son was filed by Crystal Morgan, an attorney with Unite the People Inc., a criminal justice non-profit organization.
“As an organization committed to promoting justice and equality, we firmly believe in standing by our clients and supporting them in times of need,” Unite the People said in a statement released after the hearing. “Mr. Peterson has been an integral part of our advisory board, contributing his time, resources, and expertise to further our cause. It is now our turn to stand by him and ensure that he receives a fair and just legal process.”
The Canadian artist was found guilty in December 2022 of three felonies in the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion, leaving her wounded with bullet fragments in her feet after an incident in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood on July 12, 2020. After months of delays, the 31-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison with 10 months of credit for the time he has already served.
“This week in court I took responsibility for all verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved,” Tory Lanez wrote in an Instagram post two days afterward. “That’s it. In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I’m being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do.”
Tory Lanez, also known as Daystar Peterson, was previously represented by attorneys Jose Baez and Matthew Barhoma from the outset of his trial including during his conviction and the Aug. 8 hearing where he received his sentence. Neither lawyer has answered requests for comment on the latest development in the situation. Unite the People CEO and co-founder Ceasar McDowell did state that they would seek to appeal to a higher court after the hearing.
