A lawyer for Canadian chart-topper Tory Lanez has found a couple of cracks in his client’s case.
According to Law & Crime, attorney Jose Baez believes the use of lyrics by prosecutors to convict him of shooting Megan Thee Stallion is problematic.
He said using the lyrics, which helped to find him guilty of three felonies, including assault with a semi-automatic handgun, was a way to “racialize” the case— introducing biased against the Black man.
“I think it racializes the proceedings,” Baez said.
Adding, “Utilizing rap persona, creative expression, and rap lyrics puts the accused in a very tough position… it’s infiltrated by extreme racism and should never see the inside of a court.”
A judge used lyrics from Lanez during the trial. In one song titled “Cap,” the rapper joked he was “butchering horse feet,” a line DA Alexander Bott says was directed at Megan Thee Stallion.
One big issue remains: Will Tory Lanez testify?
If he does, Judge Herriford says any lyrics or videos that relate to this case are fair game, which DA Alexander Bott says include Lanez’s music video in which he’s “butchering horse feet, clearly directed at Megan.”
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) December 20, 2022
The video shows him butchering a piece of meat and also in a courtroom setting.
If it is used, a judge must be called to “consider specified factors when balancing the probative value of that evidence against the substantial danger of undue prejudice.”
Currently, the hearing is scheduled for May 8.