Daystar Peterson, better known as the rapper Tory Lanez, is currently on trial for three felony charges: assault with a semiautomatic handgun; carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. If he is found guilty of the charges, he could face up to 22 years in prison and risks deportation, as he is a Canadian native.
What’s quite disturbing about this case so far, aside from its very nature and Megan Thee Stallion’s harrowing testimony, is the manipulation tactic Lanez is deploying. Defendants trying to color a jury’s perception by factors that have nothing to do with a trial is nothing new. It’s actually proven that ploys like wearing glasses while on trial make the accused more likely to receive a not-guilty verdict. However, Lanez has taken an extreme approach: He’s bringing his five-year-old son, Kai'Lon, along with him to the courtroom, something that’s rarely allowed. It’s a peculiar choice that should give you great pause about who this man really is. He doesn’t need him there because he can’t find someone to take care of him. While Lanez may love his son dearly (he's called Kai'Lon his "support system"), in this instance, this little boy is being paraded as a prop. In summation, it's nasty work.
From the moment news spread that Megan Thee Stallion suffered a suspicious injury on July 12, 2020, the incident has been the subject of much scrutiny and debate. Initial rumors revealed she lacerated her feet on broken glass, but Meg says she told officers this because she doesn’t trust the police and the murder of George Floyd was fresh on her mind. “The police are definitely very much shoot first, ask questions after,” the Houston rapper, born Megan Pete, said through tears in an interview with Gayle King earlier this year. Turns out, she had been shot in both feet. This much has been confirmed by doctors at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Who shot her? Well, we do know, irrespective of what statements either rapper makes, only one person was arrested that day in the wee hours of the morning for carrying a concealed weapon in their vehicle. That would be Tory Lanez. Despite the conclusion of where some simple math might lead you, there are plenty of people, predominantly men, who are painting Megan Thee Stallion as a liar—and they’re all marks. With Lanez bringing that cute little boy into the courtroom, he’s banking on members of the jury being marks, too.
Michael Arceneaux