The Bodyguard Got Something to Say
In a surprising twist, the case involving Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion might not be as settled as it seemed. Lanez, who was found guilty of shooting Megan in the foot and sentenced to prison, now has a new ally: his former driver, Jauquan Smith. Smith has recently come forward with an eyewitness account that could change everything.
Smith, who was driving the vehicle shortly before the 2020 shooting, claims he didn’t see who actually shot Megan Thee Stallion. In his testimony, submitted to appeal Lanez’s prison sentence, Smith recalls an argument between Lanez, Megan, and a woman named Kelsey Harris. He noted seeing Harris holding the gun at one point and Lanez attempting to disarm her.
“I pulled over to stop them,” Smith recounted. “Ms. Pete and Ms. Harris both got out of the vehicle and continued to fight, both verbally and physically.” Smith insisted that Lanez tried to diffuse the situation, rather than escalate it. “Mr. Peterson and Ms. Harris began struggling as Mr. Peterson tried to unarm Ms. Harris,” he stated.
Notably, Smith did not testify during Lanez’s trial. He explained that the D.A. was not ready to cross-examine him at the time and did not contact him afterward. Smith believes his testimony would have been crucial for Lanez. “I wanted to present this evidence during Mr. Peterson’s trial but was prevented from doing so,” he said. “I believe I should have been allowed to present this evidence at trial.”
The California Attorney General’s Office, however, has a different perspective. They acknowledged knowing about Smith’s testimony but felt it wouldn’t have helped. “Recognizing that an independent eyewitness had placed the gun in the hands of Harris prior to the shooting,” explained Deputy Attorney General Michael C. Keller. “Defense counsel explained that it would not ‘do anything’ to have appellant’s friend say the same thing.”
It remains to be seen how Smith’s testimony will impact Lanez’s case in the future.
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