Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna Calls for Tory Lanez's Pardon, Claims New Evidence Will Prove His Innocence
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida's 13th district is calling for Tory Lanez's freedom. The Republican urged California's Gov. Gavin Newsom to review the Toronto singer's 2020 shooting case and issue Lanez (born Daystar Peterson) a pardon in a message posted to X on Monday (May 19).
'I am calling on Gov. Newsom @CAgovernor to review Tory Lanez's case and issue a pardon,' she wrote. 'His 10-year sentence was based on flawed evidence, political pressure, and prosecutorial bias. Justice must be blind— not driven by headlines. Free Tory Lanez.'
More from Billboard
Megan Thee Stallion Slams Claim About New Evidence in Tory Lanez Shooting Case, Calls Him a 'Demon'
Saweetie Locks in Debut Australian Tour Dates
French Police Recover Bust From Jim Morrison's Grave, 37 Years After It Was Stolen
Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence after being convicted on three felony counts tied to shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet following a July 2020 party in Hidden Hills, Calif.
Rep. Luna has also claimed via X on Tuesday (May 20) that new 'compelling evidence' will be presented in the next 36 hours, which she believes will exonerate Lanez. 'We have compelling evidence proving Tory Lanez's innocence, and it will be released within the next 36 hours,' she wrote. 'Those who rushed to call for his incarceration, and worse yet pushed false evidence, should prepare to be held accountable.'
Billboard has reached out to Megan Thee Stallion's rep for comment on Luna's messages on X.
Reps for Lanez from the Los Angeles nonprofit social justice organization Unite the People presented alleged new findings in Tory's case during a press conference last week. Attorney Walter Roberts claimed that Kelsey Harris' bodyguard, Bradley James, filed an affidavit claiming he overheard Harris admit to firing the weapon and not Lanez.
Megan Thee Stallion's attorney, Alex Spiro, released a statement refuting Roberts' claims. 'Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system,' he said. 'This is not a political matter — this is a case of a violent assault that was resolved in the court of law.'
The 'Savage' rapper herself also slammed the claims of new evidence on Monday. 'FACTS ARE FACTS, he did it , it was PROVEN IN COURT f–k the hate campaign on the internet TORY YOU SHOT ME !!' she wrote in a social media post. 'Ain't no new f–king evidence yall been saying the same s–t for years.'
Lanez was stabbed in prison on May 12 inside California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. He was hospitalized for his injuries, and a statement posted hours later to his social media said he was stabbed 14 times, but was in 'good spirits' while recovering. It also noted that his lungs had collapsed, but was breathing on his own at the time of the posting.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alex Warren's ‘Ordinary' Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' ascends to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the singer-songwriter's first leader on the list. It rises from No. 4, after reaching a previous No. 2 best. More from Billboard Ye Says He 'Dreams' of Apologizing to Jay-Z Addison Rae Says She Used to Get Paid $20 by Record Labels to Post TikTok Videos: 'It Was Actually Really Sketch' Pusha T Not a Fan of Drake's UMG Lawsuit: 'It Just Kind of Cheapens the Art' Warren becomes the first male soloist to earn an initial Hot 100 No. 1 this year. 'Ordinary,' the 1,181st No. 1 in the Hot 100's 66-year history, rose to the top of both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts in May. On the Hot 100, Warren charted one prior entry, 'Burning Down' (No. 69 peak, last October). Concurrent with the coronation of 'Ordinary,' he adds his second top 40 Hot 100 hit, as 'Bloodline,' with Jelly Roll, debuts at No. 32. Before concentrating on music full-time, Warren grew a following in Hype House, a group of TikTok content creators that frequently collaborated. He signed to Atlantic Records in 2022. 'In my career, I have been so open with my friends who follow me,' Warren, who co-authored 'Ordinary,' told Billboard earlier this year. 'They know everything about me and we're so connected, and I love that. I'm thinking of these people while I'm writing these songs, because I'm thinking about what I would want to hear if I was still going through that.' Browse the full rundown of this week's top 10 below. The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated June 7, 2025) will update on tomorrow, June 3. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published. 'Ordinary' tallied 21 million official streams (down 1% week-over-week), 43.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 15%) and 8,000 sold (up 24%) in the United States May 23-29. Boosting its profile, Warren performed the song on the American Music Awards, broadcast on CBS, May 26. The track rebounds 3-1 for a fifth week atop the Digital Song Sales chart and 6-4 on Streaming Songs, after four weeks at the summit. It reaches the top five on Radio Songs (7-5), as it becomes Warren's first No. 1 on a Billboard airplay chart, rising to the top of Adult Pop Airplay. Warren's 'Ordinary' is the first 'ordinary'-titled Hot 100 No. 1. Here's a look at all 10 not-so-'ordinary'-named songs that have hit the chart: 'Ordinary,' Alex Warren, No. 1 peak (one week to date), 2025 'Ordinary World,' Duran Duran, No. 3, 1993 'Ordinary People,' John Legend, No. 24, 2005 'No Ordinary Love,' Sade, No. 28, 1993 'Ordinary Day,' Vanessa Carlton, No. 30, 2002 'Ordinary Life,' Chad Brock, No. 39, 1999 'Ordinary Things,' Ariana Grande feat. Nonna, No. 55, 2024 'Ordinary,' The Weeknd, No. 72, 2016 'Ordinary Love,' U2, No. 84, 2014 'Ordinary Girl,' Hannah Montana, No. 91, 2010 'Ordinary' hits No. 1 in its 16th week on the Hot 100. It's the fifth song to reign for the first time in 2025, following fellow steady risers in Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With a Smile' (20 weeks to No. 1) and Kendrick Lamar and SZA's 'Luther' (13 weeks); conversely, Morgan Wallen's 'What I Want,' featuring Tate McRae, debuted at No. 1 a week ago and Travis Scott's '4X4' launched on top in February. Titles have taken an average of 10.2 weeks to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 so far in 2025, the most of any year this decade, with one music industry professional theorizing that, currently, 'the whole nature of artist development takes time.' Avg. Weeks to No. 1 on Hot 100 in the 2020s: 2025: 10.2 2024: 4.3 2023: 8.9 2022: 9 2021: 3.5 2020: 5.8 (Since the Hot 100 adopted electronically-monitored Luminate data in late 1991, hits have taken an average of 8.4 weeks to No. 1.)Kendrick Lamar and SZA's 'Luther' holds at No. 5 after 13 weeks atop the Hot 100. It adds a 23rd week at No. 1 on both the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts – surpassing Lamar's 'Not Like Us' (in 2024-25) for the longest command on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (dating to October 1958, when the chart became the genre's all-encompassing songs ranking). SZA, meanwhile, ranks third with 21 weeks atop Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with 'Kill Bill' in 2022-23. Morgan Wallen's 'What I Want,' featuring Tate McRae, dips to No. 2 on the Hot 100, a week after it soared in as Wallen's fourth No. 1 and McRae's first. It claims a second week atop the multimetric Hot Country Songs chart. Wallen follows on the Hot 100 with the No. 2-peaking 'Just in Case' (2-3) and 'I'm the Problem' (3-4), as I'm the Problem, the parent set of all three songs, secures a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Shaboozey's 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)' rebounds 9-6 on the Hot 100, following its record-tying 19 weeks at No. 1 beginning last July, and Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With a Smile' dips 6-7 following five weeks at No. 1 beginning in January. Teddy Swims' 'Lose Control,' which led the Hot 100 for a week in March 2024, and became the year's No. 1 song, climbs 11-8. It posts a record-extending 63rd week in the top 10 and a record-padding 93rd week on the chart overall. Drake's 'Nokia' rises 12-9 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 2. Rounding out the Hot 100's top 10, Benson Boone's 'Beautiful Things' bumps 14-10, after peaking at No. 2. It adds a 70th week on the survey, becoming just the 10th title ever to reach the milestone. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
Black America Web
15 minutes ago
- Black America Web
Op-Ed: Tory Lanez Is Still Lying About What He Did To Megan Thee Stallion
Source: It is not a coincidence that as Megan Thee Stallion was launching her latest venture —a swimwear line through Walmart —Tory Lanez decided to launch another misinformation campaign designed to stoke anger towards her. Tory and his lawyers recently launched the site '36 Hours Later,' which includes supposed evidence that exonerates him. This alleged new evidence includes bodycam footage and witness statements alleging that Megan's former friend, Kelsey Harris, was the actual shooter. There is also a video, which has already circulated widely, that depicts Megan Thee Stallion explaining to police officers that she wasn't shot, but glass-injured. 'I really cannot go to jail. I cannot have that on my image…' she is heard saying. Tory Lanez can be heard in that same video reassuring her, saying, 'I was just trying to help my girlfriend. Mego don't worry it's gonna be okay.' For some on the internet – presumably those who struggle with critical thinking – this site caused them to question whether Megan was even shot at all. This, despite Megan telling us years ago on the internet and later in trial that she initially tried to protect Tory, her shooter, from police, by saying that she wasn't shot. There is also the photographic evidence of her foot being shot that was presented in court. BECAUSE HE SHOT HER. 🚨: New developments in the Tory Lanez case have surfaced during a FOX 11 Los Angeles live stream. Kelsey Harris's bodyguard has reportedly come forward, claiming that Kelsey Harris, not Tory Lanez, allegedly was the one who 💥 Megan. He wanted to come clean about the truth — Boochie is the Name (@stoppfeenin) May 14, 2025 All this site does is repackage the same claims made a month ago at the press conference his lawyers held that generated a lot of buzz in the he-man woman-hating corners of the internet, but didn't make any kind of noise in a courtroom. Megan's attorney, Alex Spiro, quickly dismissed claims made on the site by Tory and his legal team. 'Tory Lanez's team can't keep a story straight.' Spiro said. 'Last week, they argued that Kelsey Harris shot Megan and now, they're claiming that Megan only stepped on glass. They continue to rehash old evidence from trial and re-package it as new information to desperately sway public opinion.' Additionally, Meg's legal team released a 31-page presentation countering Tory's claims, stressing how, again , much of this so-called new evidence was already presented at trial. To remind Tory and the others falling for his lies, they presented him with the text messages in which he apologized to Megan shortly after the shooting, ring camera audio capturing five gun shots, and DNA evidence indicating a 90% probability that the male DNA on the firearm belonged to…Tory Lanez. BECAUSE HE SHOT HER. Members of Megan's legal team have even stepped into The Shade Room recently in order to further penetrate the wave of disinformation Tory and his team have flooded in those spaces. Other journalists who followed the trial are doing their part to swat away Tory's lies as well. BECAUSE HE SHOT HER. I pray their efforts will help stop some of the more embarrassing displays of Tory Lanez from various celebrities as of late stop already. Like Nicci Gilbert from Brownstone, who in a recent interview with BHighTV, expressed regret for rushing to judgment and said that her initial shock over the allegations led her to 'jump on' the 'shame on him bandwagon.' 'I was wrong,' Gilbert said. 'I jumped on the bandwagon without fully understanding the case.' 'I want to say this. If there was evidence that was suppressed. If there was any possibility that Tory did not do this, that man deserves a retrial,' she added. If Nicci Gilbert wants to issue public apologies, consider one of her former castmates on R&B Divas , not the Canadian menace trying to further torment the woman he victimized. Tory Lanez has already been denied a new trial, which is likely why stars such as Drake, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign, Ye formerly Kanye West, Amber Rose, Kodak Black, Trippie Redd, among others, have been promoting the petition calling on Governor Newsom to pardon him. It's not coincidental that the famous people rallying behind a famous person accused of harming a woman are famous men who have been accused of harming women or are women known for supporting abusive men. Their lil' petition has over 382,000 signatures, but if I could set that petition on fire, I would. If I could revoke the internet status of each signator, I would. If anyone can save Megan Thee Stallion from continuing to be tormented by this exhausting menace who can't accept the consequences of his actions, they should immediately. I'm sure some who signed feel bad that Lanez was recently stabbed in prison by another inmate, but even the stories behind that incident are fanciful. Nothing this man says ought to be trusted because Tory Lanez is a liar, as proven in court, and years before it, on the internet. For all the noise he seeks to make, Tory Lanez will stay in prison until the end of his sentence. This is all nothing more than a pathetic attempt to rile up the Negro incenl community to generate a public pressure campaign against Megan Thee Stallion and the legal system. My anger is rooted in how successful it has been concerning Megan. Megan expressed frustration over the internet's treatment of her on May 20 in a post to TikTok. 'At what point are y'all gonna stop making me have to re-live being shot BY TORY !?' she asked. 'At what point are Tory and y'all FANS gonna stop lying? Like how much is the check to keep harassing me? Why is this happening EVERY DAY??' You could see many of the comments under the posts intended to celebrate the launch of her line. Those negative comments have scaled back a bit as more of her fans, us Hotties, drown out the hate. But she shouldn't have to still live like this. Addressing Tory directly, Megan concluded her statement with: 'YOU SHOT ME !! Ain't no new f—–g evidence y'all been saying the same s–t for years. TORY, PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE you a f—–g demon. I'm off this silly a– internet s–t, BYE.' I've written about abusive men in culture and politics for a long time now, and I have never seen so many people rally behind such a marginally talented man that's done nothing but shoot a woman. Much as I do fault misinformation, I mostly marvel at how much misogyny is at the root of so many choosing willful ignorance and siding with Tory Lanez. As long as I've been writing, I still struggle with the words to illustrate just how depressing I find this reality that no matter what facts are thrown at them, some of my people are choosing to side with an abuser. Michael Arceneaux is a New York Times bestselling author whose most recent book, 'I Finally Bought Some Jordans,' was published last March. SEE ALSO: The Segregationist Administration: How Trump's Team Is Systematically Dismantling Civil Rights Op-Ed: In America, Calling A Black Child The N-Word Could Make You A Millionaire SEE ALSO Op-Ed: Tory Lanez Is Still Lying About What He Did To Megan Thee Stallion was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tim Walz Said We Need To "Bully The Sh—t Out" Of Donald Trump And It's REALLY Making MAGA Mad
We've long discussed left-leaners repeatedly expressing fatigue with the Democratic Party over what they perceive to be a lack of effort displayed by its leaders. Well, it looks like Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is starting to agree. During a May speech at the South Carolina Democratic Party's annual convention, Walz referred to President Donald Trump as a "wannabe dictator" before suggesting, "Maybe it's time for us to be a little meaner. Maybe it's time for us to be a little more fierce." Twitter: @mmpadellan Speaking from his experience as a former teacher, Walz continued, "The thing that bothers a teacher more than anything is to watch a bully... And when it's a child, you talk to them and you tell them why bullying is wrong." Related: A Republican's Response To A "Tax The Rich" Chant At His Town Hall Is Going Viral "But when it's an adult like Donald Trump," he said, "you bully the shit out of him back." "Because at heart, this is a weak, cruel man that takes it out and punches down at people. What they don't want to do is stand toe to toe and punch back with someone who's calling them out for what they do." Related: "I Am So Torn With What You Are Doing" — 11 Posts From MAGA Business Owners Who Are So Close To Getting It And this isn't the first time Walz has expressed a need for Dems to "fight back." Just two months ago, the former vice presidential hopeful shared a video of Americans expressing grievances under the Trump Administration with the title "Tim Walz: It's time to fight back." "I think elected officials have been too damn timid to not stand up for these things. Bullshit," he says in the video. "It's good stuff that makes a difference." Well! One peek at the comment section under Walz's South Carolina speech will show you how deeply MAGA is rallying against his words. But what are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments. Also in In the News: People Can't Believe This "Disgusting" Donald Trump Jr. Post About Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Is Real Also in In the News: Miss USA's 2024 "National Costume" Has Been Revealed, And It's Obviously An Interesting Choice Also in In the News: One Body Language Expert Spotted Something Very Telling When Donald Trump "Held His Own Hand" At His Recent Press Conference
