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By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday found Grammy-nominated rapper A$AP Rocky not guilty of two felony counts of assault with a semi-automatic weapon in a 2021 altercation with another hip-hop artist in Hollywood.
Rocky, the romantic partner of singer Rihanna and father of her two sons, turned around and jumped head first into the audience after the verdict was read. He hugged supporters as loud cheers filled the courtroom.
"Thank y'all for saving my life," he said to members of the 12-person jury.
Rocky was accused of pointing a handgun at a former friend, Terell Ephron, during a heated argument, then firing twice in Ephron's direction during a second confrontation. Both encounters occurred on November 6, 2021.
Ephron said he suffered a minor injury when his knuckles were grazed by a bullet.
Rocky's defense attorneys said the gun involved in the incident was a prop gun the artist had used in a music video and that it fired only blanks. They also said Ephron was the aggressor in the confrontation.
"We want to thank God first," Rocky told reporters outside the courthouse as he stood between Rihanna and his attorney. "This is crazy right now."
"I'm thankful and blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking to y'all," he said.
Rocky's first and second studio albums, "Long. Live. A$AP," and "At.Long.Last.A$AP," both debuted at No. 1 in the Billboard 200 pop charts in 2013 and 2015, respectively. His third album, "Testing," released in 2018, peaked in the top five.
Rihanna appeared in court a handful of times during the trial. She brought the couple's sons RZA, 2, and Riot, 1, to the courtroom during closing arguments.
Ephron, who has performed under the stage name A$AP Relli as part of a hip-hop collective that once included both men, has also filed a civil lawsuit against Rocky.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his department respected the jury's decision.
"Our office remains committed to seeking accountability for those who break the law, no matter their status or influence," Hochman said in a statement.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sandra Maler and Lincoln Feast.)
