After the verdict was announced at Los Angeles’ Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on Tuesday, the “Praise the Lord” rapper also shared his gratitude.
“Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank y’all for making the right decision,” Rocky told the jury before hugging his family members and Rihanna.
He also gave a speech after his verdict during a post-conference.
“I gotta thank God first,” he began. “And I want to thank the jury for making the right decision, you know? And I’m just so thankful. This is crazy right now. This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years, but I’m thankful, nonetheless. I’m thankful and blessed to be here as a free man talking to you all.”
Additionally, once he left the courtroom he posted a simple message to his X account, seemingly warning others to learn from his mistakes. “DON’T BE DUMB,” he tweeted.
Rihanna was previously present for his court dates during the civil trial, bringing the couple’s two children — which did not sit well with prosecutors.
“I want to make sure that no matter how famous his [partner] is, no matter how cute his kids are, no matter how much they giggle during closing arguments … he needs to be treated like any other person. Because in the end that’s what he’s entitled to,” District Attorney John Lewin said in court on Friday, Feb. 14.
After a break, the pop star returned to the courtroom, where a judge addressed Lewin’s previous comments.
“From here on out, there should be no mention of Rihanna being in the courtroom or the babies being in the courtroom,” he said.
Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina previously denied claims against his client, saying the weapon at the center of the civil trial was a “prop gun.”
“For Relli, it was never about justice … it’s about a man seeking a profit from a fabricated narrative,” Tacopina continued. “Rocky has nothing to hide here.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s outcome, the “Fashion Killa” rapper turned down a plea deal from prosecutors and opted for a jury trial instead of pleading guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
