A$AP Rocky's high-profile attorney, Joe Tacopina, got into a verbal spat with prosecutors Tuesday during the rapper's felony assault trial.
The back and forth resulted in Los Angeles Superior Judge Mark Arnold ordering Tacopina and Deputy District Attorney John Lewin not to speak to each other unless it's on the court record.
Why It Matters
The exchange is going viral on X, formerly Twitter, especially A$AP Rocky's reaction to Lewin alleging Tacopina challenged him to a fight.
Why Is A$AP Rocky On Trial?
A$AP Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
A$AP Relli, real name Terell Ephron, claims Rocky, his friend since high school, fired shots at him that grazed his hand in Hollywood.
What To Know
Before the jury trial resumed Tuesday, both sides attended a hearing about discovery, during which Lewin and Tacopina aired out several issues with each other.
In one spat, Lewin told the judge about a prior in-court incident where Tacopina "started screaming" at him.
"He basically appeared to challenge me to a fight," Lewin said, prompting a confused and doubtful look from A$AP Rocky.
Lewin continued, "I've been doing this longer than he has. I've not had that experience before. I'm not going to be treated that way by anybody."
Society has long needed a blanket ban on the word "literally," and DA John Lewin's use of the word here underscores that.
Rocky's lawyer Joe Tacopina was "literally screaming at me" and everyone heard it, but Judge Arnold says he didn't hear anything.
Stop saying literally! pic.twitter.com/Onr9EWSodv
Arnold sided with Tacopina, telling both men he did not hear Trump's former lawyer yell.
Tacopina responded, "I don't need a lecture from him. I'm not going to go into the amount of phone calls I got regarding him and his equation before this trial started from lawyers I don't even know, including lawyers inside the district attorney's office currently."
Lewin started to interrupt Tacopina, but Arnold broke it up.
"You were complaining about him interrupting you. You're interrupting him. Don't!" Arnold told Lewin.
Tacopina admitted that the two did get into an argument, but he did not try to fit Lewin. He also told the judge about his displeasure with Lewin approaching A$AP Rocky's mom, Renee Black, and his sister, Erika B. Mayers, in court last week, telling them that he hoped the rapper considered the seriousness of this case after denying a plea deal.
'No Squabbling Zone'
In perhaps the most viral moment of the arguments between the lawyers, Tacopina told Arnold, "Before we start casting dispersions, I wasn't even going to raise a bar. It just happened. I understand this is a trial. But you know, being that we're now throwing stones, let's call it out of whack."
"Let's not throw stones," Arnold replied.
"Well, I know, but they started it," Tacopina pointed at Lewin. "So I'm going to respond.
"This is a no squabbling zone," Arnold told the court.
"Oh, after he squabbles?" Tacopina fired back, again gesturing to Lewin. "I'm squabbling back then."
"No, you're a good squabbler. You're doing a little bit too much squabbling," Arnold responded, ending the squabble conversation.
Gag Order In A$AP Rocky Case
Following a heated discussion between Lewin and Tacopina about each other talking to the press, Arnold ruled no one in the case could continue speaking to the media.
"I don't want any attorney saying anything to the press while the case is going on. That's it. You can call it a gag order," Arnold said.
What People Are Saying
After it was revealed that the jury included a female juror who is a firearms instructor, Tacopina told Newsweek on Thursday that the rapper's legal team is OK with having the firearms instructor on the jury because they have "nothing to hide" and wanted a juror familiar with firearms.
Attorney Gloria Allred told Newsweek regarding whether A$AP Rocky's partner, Rihanna, could sway the jury: "Although jurors are instructed by the judge to consider only the evidence admitted by the court, it is human nature for many jurors to look at a celebrity sitting in the courtroom."
"Even though jurors should not take those facts into consideration and even if jurors state that they will not consider that, some jurors will not be able to ignore it."
What Happens Next
A$AP Rocky's trial will proceed on January 29, but only from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST due to someone in the case having a commitment they cannot miss.
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