New evidence in Tory Lanez case sparks fresh debate
The Tory Lanez saga has taken another dramatic turn. On Wednesday, 14 May, Lanez's legal team dropped a bombshell at a press conference in Los Angeles.
They claim new evidence proves Lanez did not shoot Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. Instead, they point at Megan's former best friend, Kelsey Harris.
The fresh twist comes from Bradley James, a former bodyguard for Kelsey Harris. James says he overheard Harris admit to firing the gun.
'She had the gun, she fired it three times. Mr Peterson (Tory Lanez) grabbed her arm and knocked it down. The gun then fired two more times,' James revealed at the press conference.
He says his conscience wouldn't let him stay silent while 'a man sits in prison for something he didn't do'.
James's claims line up with the testimony of Sean Kelly, the only neutral witness at the original trial, according to Hot 97.
Kelly said he saw two women fighting before two men intervened. Shots then rang out from the passenger side, where Harris was sitting.
Tory Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, is currently serving a 10-year sentence. His legal team insists he never fired the gun.
'Mr Peterson never shot anybody. Never even touched the gun,' said attorney Walter Roberts.
He also criticised the investigation, noting that only Lanez's DNA was tested, even though unknown DNA was found on the weapon.
Gianno Caldwell, a journalist and Lanez supporter, was blunt. 'Mr Peterson was never given a fair trial, free from bias, political interference and media-driven pressure,' he said.
Caldwell also questioned why Harris pleaded the Fifth Amendment when she wasn't under investigation. 'Why plead the fifth? What also shocked me is the prosecution gave her immunity for what?' he asked.
Tory Lanez's father, Sonstar Peterson, made an emotional appeal. 'It was supposed to be a forum in which it would be decided based on all the circumstances.
But it had already been decided behind closed doors,' he said. Supporters argue that this is a 'travesty of justice' and are calling on California's governor to review the case.
Neither Megan Thee Stallion nor Kelsey Harris has responded to these new claims. The evidence has yet to be verified by a court, but the story is far from over.
For South Africans, the case is a reminder that justice must be fair, transparent, and free from bias, regardless of where it happens in the world.
As Diana London, CEO of the Secret Weapon Agency, put it: 'Tory Lanez doesn't want special treatment. He's demanding equal treatment. When we get it wrong, we erode trust in the rule of law itself'.
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