Canadian rapper and singer Tory Lanez has officially lost his appeal to overturn both his conviction and 10-year prison sentence for shooting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion.
The California Court of Appeal affirmed the 2022 verdict that found Lanez—whose real name is Daystar Peterson—guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
In its ruling, the appellate court stated, “Peterson contends the trial court committed a number of errors. We find no prejudicial error and, accordingly, affirm Peterson’s conviction.”
The shooting occurred on July 12, 2020, after a party at Kylie Jenner’s home. According to prosecutors, an argument broke out inside the vehicle transporting Tory Lanez, Megan, and her friend. When Megan exited the car and began walking away, Tory Lanez allegedly shouted, “Dance, b**ch!” before firing at her feet, wounding her.
Although Megan initially told police she had stepped on glass, she later revealed that Lanez shot her—an account supported by forensic and witness testimony during trial.
Tory Lanez, however, has consistently maintained his innocence, arguing that he did not receive a fair trial and that there was insufficient evidence linking him directly to the shooting. His legal team described the conviction as a “miscarriage of justice” and has filed multiple unsuccessful appeals since the sentencing.
The decision by the appellate court marks the latest—and perhaps final—blow in Lanez’s prolonged legal battle, solidifying his 10-year sentence for the high-profile case that has continued to spark public debate over accountability and violence in the music industry.
