A$AP Relli Warned by Judge to ‘Cut’ His ‘Losses’ With Civil Suit Against A$AP Rocky
A$AP Relli, a former member of A$AP Mob, drew headlines after publicly accusing fellow Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky of shooting him during a 2021 altercation in Los Angeles. The incident led to Rocky’s high-profile arrest at LAX in April 2022. Relli, whose real name is Terell Ephron, later filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages, while Rocky (born Rakim Mayers) pleaded not guilty to assault charges and maintains his innocence. Most recently, a judge reportedly warned Relli that pursuing a civil suit against Rocky might not be worth it.
A judge warned A$AP Relli about the possible consequences of pursuing a defamation lawsuit against A$AP Rocky
A$AP Relli is pursuing a high-profile defamation lawsuit against A$AP Rocky following their 2021 Hollywood shooting dispute. After alleging that Rocky fired a gun at him, an incident that led to Rocky’s 2022 arrest. Relli claims the rapper and his attorney launched a smear campaign, falsely accusing him of extortion and portraying him as a liar and blackmailer in interviews and media statements. According to court filings, Relli says these comments damaged his reputation, career prospects, and mental health. And he seeks monetary damages even as Rocky continues to deny all wrongdoing.
With the criminal assault case concluded and civil proceedings ongoing, the A$AP Relli vs. A$AP Rocky defamation case remains a closely watched legal battle. However, Los Angeles County Judge Randolph M. Hammock just urged Relli to figure out the defamation lawsuit outside of court.
“I would urge you to contact the other side and see if a deal can be made,” the judge told Relli over the phone during a hearing in LA, according to Rolling Stone. “Maybe in exchange for dismissing the lawsuit, they’ll drop their claim for fees. … Maybe it’s time to cut your losses.”
According to Judge Hammock, if the case is dismissed on grounds of free speech, Relli may face upwards of $50,000 in fees paid to Rocky and lawyer Joe Tacopina.
“Mr. Ephron, listen to me carefully, OK?” Judge Hammock said. “This is a very, highly technical motion. It has to do with the First Amendment. They have to [show] this is a matter of public interest. They probably will show that. I’m pretty sure they will.”
The judge went on to say that the case received “some press.” He then encouraged Relli to “reflect upon the case” before pursuing further.
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