Tory Lanez’s Appeal Hits Roadblock
https://www.instagram.com/torylanez/
Tory Lanez’s Appeal: Judge Presses Back on Claims Involving Megan Thee Stallion’s Bodyguard
Tory Lanez is still fighting to overturn his 2022 conviction in the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion — but during a recent appeals hearing, the judge wasn’t exactly sold on his legal team’s latest arguments.
On Monday, a panel of three judges in California listened to Lanez’s attorney, Crystal Morgan, as she tried to convince the court that his trial was unfair.
One of the key points she raised was about Megan’s former bodyguard, Justin Edison, and the claim prosecutors made that Edison would testify saying Tory confessed to the shooting.
That never happened. Edison didn’t show up to court, despite a subpoena and even a legal order to bring him in by force if needed.
Tory’s team now argues that the jury hearing about Edison — who never took the stand — was unfair and could’ve influenced the verdict. But the judge wasn’t entirely buying it.
“Are you saying prosecutors should never mention a witness who might not show up?” asked Judge Rashida Adams.
The state pushed back hard, saying prosecutors had every reason to believe Edison would appear — and that Tory’s team didn’t do enough at trial to challenge that issue.
Even without Edison, prosecutors said the case against Tory (real name Daystar Peterson) was strong.
Megan and her former friend Kelsey Harris both testified he was the shooter. Jurors also heard a jail phone call where Tory apologized, blaming the whole thing on being drunk.
“I just feel horrible,” he said in the call. He also sent Megan a text message later that night saying, “I know u prolly never gone to talk to me again. But I genuinely want u to know I’m sorry…”
Tory’s team argued he could’ve been apologizing for anything — like messing up the friendship between Megan and Kelsey. But the state wasn’t buying it, calling that theory “nonsensical.”
Other parts of the appeal included a debate over a 2020 Instagram comment from Tory’s verified account denying Kelsey shot Megan. Tory now says his social media manager made that post, not him.
Ultimately, prosecutors argued that Tory’s rights weren’t violated and that his conviction should stand.
Tory didn’t testify in his own defense during trial and didn’t call any witnesses. He also raised several claims in his appeal, including prosecutorial misconduct and problems with jury instructions, but none seem to be getting much traction with the court so far.
Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence in California for shooting Megan in the feet during an argument after a party at Kylie Jenner’s house in 2020. Megan testified that Tory yelled “Dance, bitch!” before firing five shots.
The court hasn’t said when it will make a final decision on the appeal.
