A$AP Rocky Assault Trial Verdict Imminent ... Announcement at 4 PM PT

Published February 18, 2025 3:55 PM PST

The verdict in A$AP Rocky's assault trial is set to be announced ... officials say the jury has reached its verdict, and the result will be announced at 4 PM PT -- and we're streaming it live.

The Los Angeles jury began deliberations Tuesday morning after closing arguments were completed Friday afternoon ... the rapper is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon, and Rocky faces a possible 24-year prison sentence if found guilty.

A$AP Rocky -- legal name Rakim Mayers -- was arrested in 2022, accused of firing a gun at former associate and friend A$AP Relli outside a hotel in Hollywood in 2021. Rocky turned down a plea deal from prosecutors last month.

Rocky's defense attorney, Joe Tacopina, maintained his client could not have shot Relli -- legal name Terell Ephron -- because Rocky only carried a prop gun with him at the time. Relli testified his knuckles were scraped by a bullet.

Relli's testimony got heated at times ... with fireworks popping off between himself and Tacopina.

Rocky chose not to testify ... though his voice was heard in court when he yelled at his pal A$AP Twelvyy "Don't say!!!" when prosecutors asked him on the stand what "AWGE" stands for. AWGE is the name of Rocky's creative agency with "Fight Club"-level secrecy rules attached to it.

Rocky's partner and mother of his two sons, Rihanna, played a background role in the proceedings -- prospective jurors were asked during the selection process whether they'd heard of A$AP or Rihanna, listened to their music, or downloaded any of their songs. A jury of seven women and five men were selected ... none of them Black.

Rihanna attended the proceedings several days over the course of the trial, sitting with Rocky's mother and sister in the courtroom gallery, even bringing the couple's kids one morning.