A$AP Rocky‘s lawyer has refuted claims that Rihanna brought their kids to court recently as a “ploy” to win over the jury’s sympathy – see what he had to say below.

Last week (February 18), rapper A$AP Rocky – who shares two kids with Rihanna – was found not guilty after a recent trial about his role in a shooting incident in 2021.

After a nearly month-long trial in Los Angeles, A$AP Rocky was found innocent on all counts by an LA jury after being charged for allegedly firing a gun at his former friend A$AP Relli in the Hollywood area in 2021.

Rocky faced 24 years in prison after the rapper turned down a plea deal for 180 days in jail.

Over the course of the trial, Rihanna showed up in court to support the rapper and towards the end of the court case brought their kids along. After Rocky’s not guilty verdict was read, the couple celebrated by embracing one another.

Following the verdict, several people on social media have shared that they thought Rihanna bringing her children to the trial was “ploy” to win over the jury’s sympathy.

Now, Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina has addressed the claims, showing his support for the couple and maintained that he believes her intentions were pure.

Appearing on a recent episode of The Breakfast Club podcast to discuss the case, Tacopina shared: “One day Rihanna brought the babies to court, and people were thinking it was a ploy, like some sort of manoeuvre to get the jury to feel sympathy. The jury’s not feeling sympathy; they know he has a wife and kids.”

Tacopina went on to explain: “It was more because it was the last day of the trial… she brought them to court because that could’ve been the last time he’d seen his kids for a decade or more.

That’s why she brought them. The prosecutor made a big deal of it in his summation, which I think was a fatal mistake.”

As Tacopina puts it, A$AP Rocky didn’t event want Rihanna to attend the court sessions, let alone his kids: “He didn’t want her there.

He was very protective of her… But she called me one day and she was like, ‘Joe, wild horses aren’t going to keep me away, so let him know I’m coming and deal with him.’”

Once Rocky’s not guilty verdict was read, Rocky jumped over a courthouse railing to hug Rihanna and his family before regaining his composure. It was reported that A$AP Rocky thanked the jury for “saving my life” following the verdict, and added that they “made the right decision”.

Sharing a brief statement on her Instagram Stories, Rihanna wrote of the verdict: “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy! ”.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky met in 2012, and began a romantic relationship in 2020. The couple are not married, but share two children. They welcomed their second son in August 2023.