Canadian rapper Tory Lanez was released on bail shortly after being arrested for violating protective orders in an ongoing felony assault case that alleges he shot rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s feet in 2020.
Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson), 29, was handcuffed in court and briefly jailed on Tuesday after a judge said he had violated a protective order barring the rapper from contacting or harassing Megan Thee Stallion (real name Megan Pete), and from discussing evidence of the case with outside parties.
His bail was set to an increased amount of US$350,000 (formerly US$250,000, paid after Peterson’s 2020 arrest), which he posted.
The rapper was released several hours later.
Superior Court Judge David Herriford declared Peterson did not contact or harass Pete directly. Instead, he was arrested because it was found Peterson published some tweets which appeared to be clear messages to her.
Judge Herriford ordered Peterson not to mention Pete in any social media posts going forward.
Additional third-party claims from a YouTuber known as DJ Akademiks were also discussed in court, according to Rolling Stone.
In a since-deleted tweet from Feb. 23, DJ Akademiks wrote “Tory Lanez DNA was not found on the weapon in the Meg Thee Stallion case.”
Peterson’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, argued Peterson did not provide this information to DJ Akademiks.
“What he said is incorrect,” Rolling Stone reported Holley told the court Tuesday. “What (DJ Akademiks) said is that the DNA was not found on the weapon. And in fact, the swab of the gun indicates ‘inconclusive,’ that there were four contributors.”
Holly also addressed a follow-up tweet from the DJ (again, since deleted) which stated “I saw this doc myself.. it literally says it was inconclusive in finding Tory DNA on the gun or magazine.”
When DJ Akademiks published the tweets, Peterson also tweeted, writing, “Ak is telling no lies.”
Holley argued this claim by the DJ was also false because “the swab of the magazine indicates Mr. Peterson was excluded.”
“If he had seen this document, he presumably would have got it right,” she argued.
Peterson, Pete and others were in an SUV in the Hollywood Hills after a party on July 12, 2020. Authorities allege he fired at her feet during an argument after she had gotten out of the vehicle.
After months of speculation and publicity surrounding the incident, Peterson was charged with felony assault in October 2020, and in December of last year, a judge determined there was enough evidence for him to go to trial.
A September trial date was selected, and Peterson was told to return for a June hearing. He has pleaded not guilty.
— With files from The Associated Press