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An inside look at the Tory Lanez jury’s deliberations reveals the 12-member panel carefully scrutinized testimony from Megan Thee Stallion, the 911 caller Sean Kelly, and the Kelsey Harris September 2022 interview with prosecutors.
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Jury deliberation started on Dec. 22 and spilled into Dec. 23. The majority female yet ethnically diverse jurors had been on duty since jury selection began on Dec. 5th, practically 14 days. The jury worked over the course of seven hours in two days before delivering a verdict to The Honorable Judge David Herriford of “guilty” on all counts.
At 1:45 p.m. on December 22nd, the jury requested to be read the testimony from 911 caller Sean Kelly.
In Kelly’s testimony with the defense, he said he saw Harris holding what could have looked like a muzzle or fireworks. But in his testimony with the prosecution, he said he also saw Lanez with the “muzzle or fireworks.”
At 3:50 p.m.the jury asked for the definition of “willfully” and “on purpose.”
“Willfully means having a purpose or willingness to commit an act,” responded the Judge Herriford, his initials noted on the Los Angeles Superior Court documents obtained by SOHH.
“Please refer to instruction number 875. There is no legal definition for “on purpose” words and phrases not specifically defined in these instructions are to be applied using ordinary, everyday meaning.”
The Jurors were instructed not to read or view reports in the news or discuss them outside the jury room. Deliberation continued the next day, Dec. 23.
The Friday (Dec. 23) before the holidays, the jury returned with the heavy task of delivering the verdict before the 3-day weekend. The jury’s state of mind seemed weary and hyper-aware of the looming holiday, according to SOHH’s embedded trial reporter, TK Trinidad.
According to documents, they also asked for the meaning of “double action safety” and for the prosecution’s firearms expert, LAPD firearms examiner Srinivasan Rathinan’s testimony read back to them.
According to reports, LAPD’s Rathinan testified:
“A ‘double action’ firearm needs a specific amount of force to be fired, and the specific firearm needed 8.5 pounds of pressure applied to the trigger to fire, reducing the likelihood the firearm could fire accidentally.”
Jurors also asked for Megan The Stallion’s court testimony to be read back where they asked about her statements on “contacting her team after she was shot.”
They also requested the transcript of Kelsey Harris’ September 2022 interview with the LA District Attorneys. Harris is Megan’s former assistant and best friend from college.
Megan, in her testimony, said Lanez was the person who shot her on July 12, 2022.
Although Harris pleaded the fifth on the stand and unrolled a series of “I can’t remember” statements throughout her court testimony, the jury asked for a transcript of her September 2022 interview with the district attorney, where she also said Lanez shot Megan.
Jurors received the requested readback or were given access to transcripts from the court reporter.
After seven hours of deliberation, the jury read a guilty verdict on all three counts — one count of assault with an automatic firearm and found true the allegations that he caused great bodily injury and used a firearm.
He also was convicted of one count of carrying an unregistered loaded firearm in a vehicle and one count of discharge of a firearm with gross negligence. Lanez was immediately taken into custody after the verdict.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 27, 2023. He is facing 22 years and 8 months.
Tory Lanez was found guilty on Dec. 23 at the Los Angeles Superior Court case that followed the July 2020 shooting and injury of Megan The Stallion, which transpired after a heated exchange between Lanez, Megan and her former bestie Kelsey Harris.
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