Tory Lanez maintains his innocence in first on-camera prison interview
Tory Lanez has given his first on-camera interview since being sentenced for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2020.
The Canadian rapper (real name Daystar Peterson) is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence at California Men’s Colony near San Luis Obispo.
He was found guilty of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence in 2022.
During a conversation with NBC News, Lanez maintained his innocence, telling the reporter, “I’ve never been violent towards a woman. I would never hit a woman, let alone shoot a woman.”
Lanez claimed he shouldn’t be in prison and brought up alleged evidence that has surfaced since the end of the trial. “I believe not only that I was wrongfully convicted, but the amount of new evidence that has emerged since that trial, I think, has been overwhelming,” he said.
He added, “When I talk about my case, I don’t want it to be taken as me coming at her, because it’s not that. I’m just asking for somebody in the system to look at my case and look at the evidence and ask if this was fair.”
Lanez also spoke about going through a traumatising time in prison, having been stabbed 14 times earlier this year.
“Truthfully, I’ve done my best to keep my head above water, but mentally, I’ve gone through trauma that I sometimes even struggle with,” he said. “Because I’ve never imagined myself dealing with things that I would have to deal with.”
Lanez lost an appeal over his shooting conviction in November. Three judges from the California 2nd District Court of Appeals affirmed his three felony counts.
The ruling read, “We find no prejudicial error and, accordingly, affirm Peterson’s conviction. As we find no ineffective assistance of counsel or prejudicial trial court error, we also find no cumulative error.”