Megan Thee Stallion: Tory Lanez released from house arrest as assault trial begins

Lanez is accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot after a party in 2020

The trial of rapper Tory Lanez over the alleged shooting of Megan Thee Stallion has commenced this week (5 December).

Lanez has been released from house arrest at a judge’s discretion in order to prepare for a trial over an allegation that he shot Megan Thee Stallion in 2020.

The 10-day assault trial has now started with jury selection starting on Monday, with opening statements to begin on Monday 12 December, reports NME.

“I will terminate the house arrest at this point. The main reason is that during trial, it’s difficult to have a client who’s not accessible. I’m doing this mainly for the trial preparation aspect,” Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Herriford ruled.

Texas-born Megan alleged she was injured when Lanez shot at her feet after a Hollywood party in 2020.

The Canadian rapper denies the charges.

Both artists went on to reference the dispute in their work as the accusation divided the music industry. In his song “Money Over Fallout”, Lanez suggested the accusations against him were false, saying: “Megan people tryna frame me for a shooting.”

A few months later, Megan released the song “Shots Fired” on her 2020 album Good News, which reportedly accused Lanez of lying “just to save face”, insisting she is the one “speakin’ facts”.

Megan Thee Stallion, 27, real name Megan Pete, and Tory Lanez, 30, real name Daystar Peterson, are said to have got into an argument as they drove away from a party hosted by Kylie Jenner in the Hollywood Hills on 12 July 2020.

At a hearing last December, Los Angeles Police told a judge Thee Stallion demanded to be let out of the car and heard Lanez shouting at her to dance, reports the BBC.

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The trial of rapper Tory Lanez over the alleged shooting of Megan Thee Stallion has commenced (AFP via Getty Images)

He then opened fire with a handgun, officers said.

The “Savage” singer had initially told police she’d been hurt by stepping on broken glass. It was later, on Instagram Stories, where she said that Lanez had shot her.

The pair had reportedly been in a relationship but split before the accusations were made public.

Lanez has denied charges of assault with a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle. He’s been ordered to stay at least 100 yards (91.4m) away from Megan.

In a statement, Megan’s attorney Alex Spiro said: “Despite the irrefutable evidence that Megan was a victim of gun violence, the ignorant continue to support her attacker.”

Last month (4 November), Megan responded to a lyric on Drake and 21 Savage’s new collaborative album Her Loss that appears to reference her being shot in the track “Circo Loco”.

The Independent has contacted Drake’s representatives for comment.

Megan posted a number of tweets demanding unnamed rappers stop referencing her shooting, asking that they “stop attaching weak ass conspiracy theories in bars to my name”.

In a separate tweet, she wrote: “Stop using my shooting for clout… Since when tf is it cool to joke abt women getting shot!”

The Independent has contacted Tory Lanez representatives for comment.