Celebrity Gets Harshest Possible Sentencing for Shooting Celebrity in Gascon's "Justice Reform" World: Ten Year Prison Sentence for Tory Lanez Shooting Megan Thee Stallion

August 9, 2023 - "Justice Reform" Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced yesterday a ten-year prison sentence for rap artist Tory Lanez for shooting another musical artist, Megan Thee Stallion in a 2020 incident in the Hollywood Hills. Tory Lanez's legal name is Daystar Peterson and Megan Thee Stallion's legal name is Megan Pete.

Gascon has advanced a soft-on-criminal approach since taking office in December 2020. His theory is that long prison sentences do not stop recidivism or reduce crime. He has been sued by his own staff of deputy district attorneys for his refusal to charge certain crimes and add enhancements to criminal charges.

But when the victim is a celebrity or person of wealth and influence, Gascon's tactics differ. He normally issues press releases about advances his office has made in criminal justice reform and the prosecution of police officers, but yesterday, an unusual press release boasted of the ten-year sentence for Lanez. Most of the statement from the DA's office involved Gascon's concern for the celebrity victim, Megan Pete. Gascon accused Peterson of engaging in a three-year assault on Pete intended to intimidate her and "silence her truths from being heard." Gascon then commended Pete on her bravery. "Women, especially Black women, are afraid to report crimes like assault because they are too often not believed," Gascon said and added that, "This case highlighted the numerous ways that our society must do better for women."

In December 2020, Gascon was heard on video telling a colleague "it's unfortunate that we have people that do not have education to keep their mouth shut for a moment so we can talk" when the sister for a murder victim wanted to know why he was going to allow resentencing for her sister's murderer and another woman was concerned that special allegations were to be dropped against her son's murderer. Gascon later apologized for the comment, claiming he did not know they were victims of crime.

On July 12, 2020, Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion were riding in an SUV in the Hollywood Hills when Megan got out of the vehicle. Lanez shot five times at her and wounded her.

Jurors deliberated for seven hours before finding Lanez guilty of one assault with an automatic firearm and the allegation he caused great bodily injury via a firearm. He was also convicted of carrying an unregistered loaded firearm in a vehicle and one count of discharge of a firearm with gross negligence.