Los Angeles — Just one week after rapper A$AP Rocky was cleared of all charges in a criminal trial, the plaintiff in a related civil lawsuit insists on moving forward. The lawsuit, filed by former A$AP Mob member Terell Ephron, is rooted in the same November 2021 incident for which the rapper was found not guilty of assault with a semiautomatic pistol.
During a recent court session in downtown Los Angeles, Terell Ephron’s attorney, Melissa Mikail, confirmed their intention to continue with the lawsuit. Mikail emphasized the different standards of proof between criminal and civil cases, suggesting that the civil lawsuit’s lower threshold of “preponderance of the evidence” could lead to a different outcome than the criminal trial.
Ephron alleges that Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, drew a handgun and fired at him during a verbal dispute at the intersection of Selma and Vista Del Mar Avenues. Ephron testified that he felt a hot sensation on his left hand, believing he had been grazed by a bullet. His credibility was challenged under aggressive cross-examination during the criminal proceedings, facing accusations of repeated perjury.
Rocky has consistently denied the allegations. His defense team argued that he was carrying a prop gun, which he obtained from a music video shoot with Rihanna for their song “D.M.B.” filmed in July 2021. According to testimony from two other A$AP Mob members, this prop gun was only capable of firing blanks, a point that contributed to the jury’s swift decision to acquit him.
Following the acquittal, where Rocky energetically embraced Rihanna and his attorneys Joe Tacopina and Chad Siegel in the courtroom, his legal battles aren’t over yet. The judge recently set January 12, 2026, as the trial date for the civil case.
Rocky’s civil attorney, James Sargent, argued that the criminal jury’s decision should have a bearing on the civil case, indicating a lack of merit in Ephron’s claims. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Fahey queried Sargent about his role in the proceedings, and while confirming he hadn’t represented Rocky in the criminal trial, praised the effective defense by Tacopina and Siegel.
Outside the courtroom, Sargent sounded optimistic about the future proceedings. He dismissed any possibility of settling the lawsuit financially, insisting on fully vindicating his client.
During the trial, it came to light that Ephron had sought a $30 million settlement to drop his public lawsuit, an amount discussed in a recorded phone conversation where Ephron hinted at disappearing to a tropical island if he secured the payout. This suggestion of extortion compounded the dramatic narrative surrounding the high-profile case.
The next hearing in this ongoing legal drama is set for May 28.
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