Tory Lanez Legal Team Calls for Pardon After Prison Stabbing, Claims New Evidence in Shooting Case
Tory Lanez's legal team called on Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon the rapper or commute his sentence days after he was stabbed in prison this week, while further claiming to have new evidence in the rapper's case over the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion.
Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, is currently serving a 10-year sentence after he was convicted on three firearm charges over the 2020 shooting, which left Meg, whose real name is Megan Mete, wounded with bullet fragments in her feet. Mete told the court that Peterson had shouted 'dance, bitch' before shooting her. Peterson pleaded not guilty in the trial and is appealing the sentence.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Pro Sound Effects Library Teams With Musical AI to Create Licensed Training Datasets
Yusuf/Cat Stevens Announces Memoir 'Cat on the Road to Find Out'
Capitol Music Group Launches Nashville Division, Hires Candice Watkins as President
During a press conference held by Peterson's legal team, Unite The People, in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, the rapper's father, Sunstar Peterson, said his son was airlifted to a hospital Monday to treat his injuries, but that he's healing 'remarkably well' following the 'unprovoked attack.'
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed Peterson was stabbed on Monday morning at 7:20 a.m., further stating that authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Peterson's reps said he was stabbed 14 times, including seven wounds to the back, four to his torso and two to the back of his head, and that both his lungs had collapsed. Sunstar Peterson said on Wednesday that Peterson was also stabbed under his left cheekbone and that 'his jaw was open.' Peterson is breathing on his own again, Sunstar Peterson said.
Peterson's reps said Newsom should get Peterson released citing the stabbing, noting that 'if he is not 'pardoned and released promptly, he may never get out.' Sunstar Peterson called upon both Newsom and President Trump to take action during his speech. Unite The People said it hadn't contacted the Governor's office beyond making the call during Wednesday's press conference.
Aside from the health update, both Sunstar Peterson and other representatives for Peterson had repeatedly stated that the rapper 'was never given a fair trial,' and claimed that prosecutors manipulated evidence to reach a conviction, specifically calling out former LA County District Attorney George Gascon.
His team claimed to have received new evidence, with Walter Roberts — who Unite The People CEO Caesar McDowell said was the team's lead consultant — stating that a man named Bradley James had approached the organization 'a few months ago' claiming to be the bodyguard of Pete's former friend Kelsey Harris during the trial. Harris was in the car with Peterson and Pete during the incident.
Roberts claimed that the bodyguard had heard a conversation in which Harris said that she fired the gun while Peterson knocked the gun down. James was not among the speakers at the press conference Wednesday. Roberts said the team hasn't gone to current D.A. Nathan Hochman's office about the claims yet.
Pete's attorney Alex Spiro disputed Peterson's team's new claims in a statement to THR. 'Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system,' Spiro said. 'This is not a political matter — this is a case of a violent assault that was resolved in the court of law.'
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More
Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025
Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
Brad Bird Won't Return to Direct ‘Incredibles 3'
Pixar is hard at work bringing its own superhero team back to the big screen, but its previous leader is taking a back seat. Brad Bird, who wrote and directed the first two Incredibles films, won't be helming Incredibles 3. He's writing the script but is handing the director's chair over to Peter Sohn, who made The Good Dinosaur and Elemental and has worked on Pixar films going back to 2003's Finding Nemo. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of the director change which, frankly, is a bit of a shock. Sohn is great, as his work on Elemental proved, but with other major Pixar directors still helming Pixar films, like Andrew Stanton doing Toy Story 5 and Lee Unkrich returning for Coco 2, we assumed Bird would return too. However, the trade reports Bird's schedule is the main culprit here, as he's getting ready to make a new animated film at Skydance called Ray Gunn. But, it's Pixar, so even if Bird isn't directing and Sohn is, it's still a group effort. The animation house helped popularize a system where a group of talented filmmakers give notes on a film throughout the process. So while Sohn will make the final decisions, he'll have a ton of incredible talent—no pun intended—around him. The Incredibles, of course, came to prominence in 2004 with the smash hit story of a family of superheroes. The movie went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and, years later, spawned the good but less celebrated sequel Incredibles 2. And even though Incredibles 2 doesn't get talked about as much as the original, it almost doubled the gross of the original, proving this is a story family audiences still want to see. No word on when Incredibles 3 might hit theaters but 2027 or 2028 would be the most likely. Are you ready to see the Parrs back in action? Is Sohn the right guy for the job? Let us know below.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kansas City Chiefs' Foolish Club Studios Sets Executive Team (Exclusive)
The entertainment studio launched by the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs has set its executive team, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Foolish Club Studios, the venture that the Chiefs announced just before this year's Super Bowl, will be led by CEO Mark Donovan and COO Lura Krug. More from The Hollywood Reporter Whoopi Goldberg Co-Founded All Women's Sports Network, Pluto TV Launch FAST Channel Coco Gauff vs. Aryna Sabalenka: How to Stream the French Open Women's Final Online for Free How to Watch Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky Online Without Cable for Free Donovan also serves as president of the Chiefs, with Krug also working as the team's executive vp of media and marketing. In addition, Chiefs CFO Dan Crumb will serve in the same capacity for the studio, while Gelsomina Picariello will work as head of studio and development for Foolish Club, while also working as senior director of media and programming for the Chiefs. Foolish Club Studios is is a tribute to Chiefs and American Football League founder Lamar Hunt, with the original owners embracing the 'foolish' effort to try and take on the National Football League. As the Chiefs have become a dominant force in the NFL, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and stars like Travis Kelce, their relevance in popular culture has also grown. The Chiefs were featured in a Hallmark Channel original movie last year, with a docuseries called The Kingdom coming to ESPN platforms later this year. Foolish Club is a producer on both projects, with others in development. 'The idea for Foolish Club Studios was sparked a few years ago, and to see it evolve into a fully operational studio is a testament to the entrepreneurial drive my father exemplified,' Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. 'Storytelling has always been integral to the Chiefs franchise, and by pushing boundaries and inspiring innovative thinking, we have developed yet another exciting way to make authentic connections with sports fans around the world. I look forward to the great stories that Foolish Club Studios will bring to life on the screen.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Rosemead' Review: Lucy Liu Plays a Desperate Mother in a Harrowing Portrait of the Asian American Mental Health Crisis
In Rosemead, Eric Lin crafts a modest and heartbreaking story of domestic isolation and mental health in the Asian American community. The film, which premieres at Tribeca, stars Lucy Liu as Irene, an intrepid Chinese mother battling a terminal illness while navigating the painful realities of her son's worsening schizophrenia. Joe (a fine Lawrence Shou) was once a star student and celebrated swimmer at Rosemead High School, but his father's death triggered the young man's latent psychological problems and he's been struggling ever since. Many immigrant communities either ignore mental health challenges or see symptoms as evidence of spiritual deviance. It can be difficult for those in need to get the help required. Based on a true story, Rosemead compassionately captures the various layers — from community rejection to inadequate state responses — that come with trying to find support. The film's intimate scope — it takes place in a small California suburb over the course of a few weeks and leans into snug close-ups (cinematography by Lyle Vincent) — makes this a worthwhile portrayal of an under-discussed sliver of American life. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'American Psycho' Director Mary Harron Is Surprised by Movie's Lingering Relevance How Ticket Resellers Caused Drama at Miley Cyrus' 'Something Beautiful' Tribeca Film Premiere Miley Cyrus Says She Knows What Upcoming 12-Track Experimental Album "Feels Like" Lin, working from a screenplay by Marilyn Fu, plunges us into the depths of Irene's busy life. Her days weren't always this stressful, but since Charles (played by Orion Lee in flashbacks) died, Irene has had to manage the print shop and monitor Joe's medication intake all on her own. She hardly even has time to sneak away for her chemotherapy sessions, which she's hiding from her son. Liu transforms in a role that requires the usually glamorous actress to burrow into a more modest character. Irene wears oversized sweaters and loafers (costumes are by Vera Chow) while her hair is usually half-heartedly tossed back into a ponytail. Liu's performance is marked by her dedication to inhabiting and understanding Irene's state of agita. She emphasizes the character's pride and furtive nature, while managing a rather uneven rendition of a recent Chinese emigré's accent. For most of Rosemead, Irene insists that Joe is fine, and it's this vague desire for normalcy that traps Irene. Before conveying the depth of her desperation, Lin takes a considered approach to establishing the rhythms of this mother's life. When we first meet Irene, she's picking her son up from his weekly therapy session. His therapist Dr. Hsu (James Chen) encourages her once again to join their meetings, saying that her presence could help Joe, who's turning 18 in a few months, feel more empowered in his recovery. Irene gently refuses, insisting instead that Joe is returning to his old self. But Joe isn't fine. The teenager has a hard time at school, where he can't focus and spends classes drawing disturbing images across his notebook. Some of his friends — played by Maidson Hu and Anzi DeBenedetto — try to help Joe by inviting him to hang outside of school and encouraging him to share his thoughts, but the young man would often rather be alone. Lin conjures Joe's experience with schizophrenia through brief, frenzied montages. Joseph Krings' skittish edits coupled with Will Bates' haunting music underscore how scary a place Joe's head can be. Lin bolsters this perspective with scenes of Joe posting online about how medication weakens his resolve and becoming obsessed with school shootings. Shou, in his feature debut, does a fine job evoking the capricious moods of a teenager battling against his own mind. He's particularly compelling in scenes in which Joe tries to override visual and auditory hallucinations by focusing on happy memories with his mother and father. In those moments, Shou relies on a pronounced physicality to manifest the character's struggle. One does wish that Rosemead were clearer about the intensity of and reasons for Joe's fixation on these tragedies. This might have helped the film more forcefully counter the assumption that schizophrenia, or other mental health issues of its kind, causes violent tendencies. Although Joe's doctor reiterates this point, there are parts of Rosemead that edge too closely to tired tropes of mental illness. What Rosemead does well is showcase how a culture of silence fosters fear. Lin shows scenes of Irene and Joe facing the judgement of members of their community, as well as condescending school officials trying to make Joe someone else's problem. As Joe's mental health deteriorates, Irene realizes that her son hasn't been taking his medication. She comes across evidence of his school shooting obsession and tries to control the situation with a quiet but palpable desperation. Here, Lin switches gears slightly, adding thriller elements to up the stakes. Irene races to pre-empt any violence from her son while keeping his worsening condition from her closest friend Kai-Li (Jennifer Lim). Her decisions are disturbing in their devastation, and what began as an intimate portrait of a mother and her son deftly transitions into a harrowing psychological study of a woman who thinks she has no options. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
