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A new lawyer has filed a motion advocating for rapper Tory Lanez to be released on bail. As The Shade Room previously reported, the 31-year-old was sentenced to ten years in prison in August.
Additionally, Lanez was convicted of three charges in connection to the 2020 assault of Megan Thee Stallion in December.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that Tory Lanez’s bail hearing has been rescheduled from Tuesday, September 5. The hearing’s new date is Thursday, September 14.
According to a report published Friday by legal reporter Meghann Cuniff, a “new layer” has filed a motion for the rapper to “halt” his ten-year prison sentence and receive bail as the rapper and his legal team work to appeal his felony convictions.
Cuniff reports that the motion was filed Monday. Additionally, it is signed by Crystal A. Morgan. According to Cuniff, Morgan is a licensed California attorney who works for the “legal services organization Unite the People.”
According to the organization’s website, the group is a “California-based nonprofit organization.” Additionally, it consists of “concerned citizens, defense attorneys, and families and friends” of incarcerated people. The group ultimately strives to “fight for social justice” and address mass incarceration and prison reform issues.
In the bail motion, Morgan reportedly details the rapper’s plans if he is granted bail. The lawyer states that Lanez will “live locally in the Los Angeles area” with his “wife,” Raina Chassagne, and their six-year-old son, Kai.
The motion reportedly states that Lanez will rent a home in the city from Aryan Nafari.
“Mr. Peterson currently and in the past has contracted to rent homes and at times vehicles from Aryan Nafari, owner of [ASR] exotics, LLC,” the motion reads per Cuniff’s report. “Mr. Nafari reports that Mr. Peterson makes all of his payments makes all of his payments timely, and has not caused any damage to any property that has been rented to him. Moreover, Mr. Nafari stated that he has grown close to Mr. Peterson and his family, so he trusts him.”
Additionally, the motion adds that the rapper will “maintain his sobriety,” have “no contact” with Megan Thee Stallion, and “continue his employment while staying in the geographic Los Angeles area.”
“Upon release, Mr. Peterson will maintain his sobriety, and have no contact with the victim nor shall he or any of his associates by his direction address her on social media or by other means. Mr. Peterson is a well-known musician; it is not possible for him to abscond. He is a household name through his artistry and philanthropy… Giving Mr. Peterson bail will allow him to continue his employment while staying in the geographic Los Angeles area.”
According to Cuniff, the rapper’s new bail motion does not mention him entering rehab.
As The Shade Room previously reported, earlier this month, the 31-year-old requested to be placed in a treatment program while advocating to receive probation ahead of his prison sentencing.
Furthermore, the bail motion maintains that Lanez “is not a danger to the community.” The document argues that his charges in the present case “stem from an isolated incident where he was intoxicated.” The motion reportedly adds that Lanez and his family do not have “strong ties” to Canada and his family relies “heavily upon him for care.”
According to Cuniff’s report, a “motion for bail pending appeal is not the same as an appeal.” Cuniff adds that the bail motion will be addressed by Judge Herriford. However, his “pending appeal” will presumably be addressed elsewhere.
“Lanez’s motion will be addressed by Judge Herriford, while his pending appeal will be filed with the California Courts of Appeal’s 2nd District in Los Angeles,” Cuniff writes.
Additionally, Cuniff adds that the “appellate case file” is not yet available online. However, the “trial court file” reports that a “notice of appeal” was received on August 10 — two days after Lanez’s sentencing.
Furthermore, Cuniff adds that the appellate process can extend multiple years.
For now, a hearing for the rapper has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 5, at 8:30 a.m.
As The Shade Room previously reported, Lanez has maintained his innocence since being sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this month.
Additionally, Jose Baez, one of his attorneys, announced his legal team’s plans to appeal his prison sentence shortly after it was given. At the time, the attorney called it “incredibly harsh and extreme,” as per The Shade Room.
At the time, a report from Cuniff added that Lanez may serve a shorter sentence than his ten years after being credited with time served.
After this article’s publication, it was revealed that Lanez’s bail hearing has been rescheduled.
