*Calls for justice in the case of rapper Tory Lanez are growing louder after his legal team unveiled new claims and evidence they believe prove his innocence in the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion.
Lanez, born Daystar Peterson, is currently serving a 10-year sentence for the incident but was hospitalized earlier this week after being violently stabbed 14 times by another inmate at a California prison. At a press conference hosted by United the People, a social justice nonprofit, legal advocates and supporters gathered to push for his release and demand a reexamination of the case, FOX LA reports.
“It’s time to bring the brother home,” said Ceasar McDowell, the group’s CEO and co-founder, as he opened the press event.
Attorney Walter Roberts argued that Lanez was wrongfully convicted and never fired a weapon. He pointed instead to Megan’s former best friend, Kelsey Harris, as the actual shooter.
“[Harris] fired at [Megan] three times. Mr. Peterson grabbed her arm and knocked it down, and the gun fired two more times,” Roberts explained. “In essence, Mr. Peterson never shot anybody. Never even touched them.”
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Roberts noted that this version of events aligns with the testimony of eyewitness Sean Kelly, who told the court he saw two women fighting. Roberts also questioned the handling of evidence, saying, “There were three potential suspects in the car that night. And yet the only DNA sample was taken of Mr. Peterson, even though unknown DNA was found on the gun.”
Diana London, CEO of the Secret Weapon Agency and a former Congressional staffer, emphasized the broader implications of a flawed justice system.
“When our courts fail the people they’re meant to protect, we don’t just ruin lives, we erode trust in the rule of law itself,” she said. “Tory Lanez doesn’t want special treatment. He’s demanding equal treatment.”
London argued that the evidence strongly points away from Lanez, saying the justice system failed him in this case.
“The evidence which is laid out here today overwhelmingly suggests he did not commit,” she added.
Political commentator and journalist Gianno Caldwell also spoke at the event, accusing former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón of politicizing the case.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that Tory Lanez was railroaded,” Caldwell said. He criticized Gascón’s use of sentence enhancements in Lanez’s case despite the rapper having no criminal record and the prosecution lacking forensic evidence.
“That’s not justice. That’s a political stunt,” London echoed.
Caldwell also questioned the handling of forensic evidence and the decision to grant Harris immunity.
“There were multiple people with gunshot residue on their hands that night… Why didn’t all individuals have their DNA tested on the weapon?” he asked. “Tory was excluded from the clip of the gun… there was a 0.01% chance he touched the actual gun.”
Caldwell further noted the mystery behind Harris’s Fifth Amendment plea. “She wasn’t accused of anything… So why plead the fifth?”
Lanez’s father, Sonstar Peterson, offered emotional and spiritual support at the press conference.
“We chose to be silent. And now we’ve been silent for way too long,” he said, criticizing the fairness of the trial and alleging bias in how his son was portrayed publicly. He also appealed directly to California Governor Gavin Newsom: “Sir, it is in your hand to do something about this… This is a travesty of justice.”
Meanwhile, Lanez is recovering in a Bakersfield hospital after sustaining 14 stab wounds at California Correctional Institution (CCI) in Tehachapi. Authorities have identified 42-year-old Santino Casio, a convicted killer, as the alleged attacker.
Despite the new push from Lanez’s supporters, Megan Thee Stallion’s legal team stands by the original verdict.
“Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system,” said her attorney, Alex Spiro, in a statement to XXL Magazine. “This is not a political matter, this is a case of a violent assault that was resolved in the court of law.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Tory Lanez Stabbed 14 Times in Prison by Inmate Identified As Santino Casio | VIDEO
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