Denying that he shot ASAP Relli during an incident in Hollywood, ASAP Rocky claims that the charges against him are an extortion attempt.
As the legal battle between ASAP Rocky and ASAP Relli mounts, the rapper is claiming that the allegations against him are an extortion attempt. The claims come from Rocky’s attorney Joe Tacopina, only a few hours after Rolling Stone reported that Rocky had filed his answer in the civil lawsuit which claims that he shot ASAP Relli at an incident in Hollywood last year.
Speaking to TMZ, Tacopina dismissed the lawsuit as an ‘extortion attempt’ by a former member.
“Rocky didn’t commit a crime. It was an extortion attempt by a former associate, who threatened to make false criminal accusations if Rocky didn’t pay him.” Tacopina told TMZ.
Tacopina also claimed that he has accounts from at least two eyewitnesses who can attest for Rocky’s innocence.
In the lawsuit against Rocky, Relli claims that the former asked to meet him at an undisclosed location in Hollywood in November of last year – during the meeting, Relli alleges, Rocky not only pointed a handgun at him but also fired shots. Claiming that he was ‘struck by bullet projectile/fragments,’ Relli is seeking compensation for intentional affliction of emotional distress, assault, battery, and negligence.
Tacopina, however, has dismissed the suit as Relli’s own ‘get rich quick scheme’.
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Tacopina’s words closely mirror Rocky’s own answer in court, in which he denied all allegations, including that Relli had sustained any damages.
In his answer, Rocky claimed that Relli’s injuries “were caused solely, directly and proximately by the negligent and/or intentional acts or omissions” of someone else, and that he “failed to exercise reasonable care to avoid the consequences of harm.”
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