SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Rapper Tory Lanez, serving a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, maintains his innocence and is seeking a review of his case, claiming a wrongful conviction. He voiced these sentiments in his first interview from prison on Thursday, Dec. 18.
Lanez Claims Misconception, Seeks Fair Review of Evidence
The rapper, incarcerated at California Men’s Colony, asserts he’s been unfairly portrayed and wants authorities to re-examine the evidence presented during his 2022 trial.
- Lanez has served three years of his decade-long sentence.
- He denies any history of violence against women, stating he would “never hit a woman, let alone shoot a woman.”
- His legal team is preparing multiple appeals to be filed next week.
- Lanez expressed a desire to address Megan Thee Stallion directly, in person, rather than through media statements.
“There is definitely a very big misconception about me that seems to the public as I’m this monster,” Lanez said. “I feel like I was catapulted into this poster child for the unprotection of Black women, and it’s just so unlike me. And I’ve never really had a chance to express that.”
The Canadian native was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic weapon, personal use of a firearm, and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle following the 2020 shooting incident. He believes “the amount of new evidence that has emerged since that trial…has been overwhelming.”
What evidence supports Lanez’s claim of a wrongful conviction? Lanez maintains that newly discovered evidence warrants a re-evaluation of the case, though he did not detail the specifics of this evidence during the interview.
When asked about Megan Thee Stallion, Lanez indicated he doesn’t harbor animosity towards her. “I think that I wouldn’t say something directly to her,” he added. “I would like that moment to happen in person. We’ve both gone through a lot. There’s this connotation that, like I share this hatred for her, but I don’t. I’m genuinely past that. I’m at a place of healing in my life. I’m at a place of taking accountability for the things that I did wrong. And when I talk about my case, I don’t want it to be taken as me coming for her because it’s not that. I’m just asking for somebody in the system to look at my case and look at the evidence and ask if this was fair.”
Lanez emphasized his desire for accountability, while simultaneously asserting his innocence. He stated he is taking accountability for his own actions, but believes the conviction itself is unjust.
