What started as a legal controversy in connection with the high-profile 2020 shooting that left the rapper Megan Thee Stallion with gunshot injuries has since turned into an all-out push for clemency, and it's gaining real traction.
A Change. org petition started by the Caldwell Institute garnered over 250,000 signatures over only two days and drew support from some of music's most prominent names, Drake, Amber Rose, Ye, and Ty Dolla Sign included. That petition, which has become the top trending campaign on that platform worldwide within days, is calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Lanez, claiming that his conviction was based on flawed legal footings.
During a press conference, lawyers with Unite the People, a non-profit that provides humanitarian aid and legal services to incarcerated people, revealed what they characterize as exculpatory evidence. At the center of their defense are details from an affidavit by Bradley James, who had served as a security guard for Kelsey Harris, Megan Thee Stallion's friend. According to James, Harris admitted that he shot the gun during an argument, then Lanez tried to defuse the situation, and two gunshots went off as a result.
In addition to new witness testimony that mirrors that of another independent witness, Sean Kelly, who claims that he saw two women struggling and heard the shots from the passenger seat allegedly occupied by Harris, we now have a new video of the shooting. Of note, only Lanez's was tested against the weak weapon 'saline, causing some to question the scope and fairness of the initial investigation.
Drake used Instagram to share a now-viral Story accompanied by the text "@Lanez come home soon" and a link to the petition. Though brief, his message landed with the gravitational pull of influence that few other artists can command. Other rappers, such as Gillie Da King and Kodak Black, also said as much, feeding public interest and debate.
The situation became even more bleak just days ago when Lanez was said to be stabbed 14 times in jail. From his spokespeople comes news that he is recovering from the attack and making it that much more vital that all his allies and for justice be met.
But not everyone is buying that. Megan Thee Stallion's lawyer issued a firm statement stating that Lanez "has been convicted by a jury, and the case is closed."
"There are new voices in the conversation, and hundreds of thousands of people have added their names to the petition, so it's as if this case is clear cut in the court of public opinion. Amid the debate, there's one thing we know for sure: The story of Tory Lanez is being rewritten as we speak, and an increasingly loud chorus, including some of the music industry names, is calling for a second look.
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