Erika Jayne's Son Testifies in A$AP Rocky Assault Trial.
The assault trial of rapper A$AP Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers) began with opening statements on January 24, 2025, and saw a significant witness take the stand—Thomas “Tommy” Zizzo Jr., the son of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne. Zizzo, a sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), was called to testify about his response to the alleged shooting of A$AP Relli (real name Terell Ephron) in November 2021.
Rocky, 36, is facing two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm after allegedly firing a handgun at Relli during a confrontation. Despite a plea deal offer, which would have resulted in a reduced sentence, Rocky chose to go for a jury trial. If found guilty, the rapper could face up to 24 years in prison.
Zizzo, who was notified of a "possible shooting" on the night of the incident, testified that his investigation did not yield signs of a shooting, including the potential discovery of shell casings. He admitted that his search of the area might not have been exhaustive and acknowledged missing some critical evidence. Bodycam footage from Zizzo's response was shown in court during the proceedings.
Erika Jayne
In her podcast, Jayne has spoken about her son in the past, revealing that she consciously avoids posting about him on social media to protect his privacy. Speaking on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM show in 2020, Jayne said: “I chose this life — and we try and protect him... I don’t care if he’s an adult and he carries a gun and a badge. At the end of the day, he’s still my boy, and I’m super proud.”
The plea deal Rocky rejected would have seen him serve 180 days in jail, a seven-year suspended sentence, and three years on probation. In opening statements at the trial, Deputy District Attorney Paul B. Przelomiec presented a straightforward case, outlining the events that led to the alleged shooting. He described how Relli reportedly believed the meeting with Rocky was meant to resolve their issues, but instead, things escalated into violence.
Rocky’s defence attorney, Joe Tacopina, took a different approach, calling Relli a "fraud" who fabricated a story to gain financially from the situation. Tacopina also claimed that surveillance footage showing Rocky holding a gun depicted a "prop gun," which was allegedly used for self-protection, as advised by the rapper’s security team.
At the same time, the prosecution revealed that two 9mm shell casings retrieved by Relli from the scene were connected to a “Glock model 40 and 43” after new analysis. Tacopina argued that this evidence was unfair and complicated the case further.
The trial, initially set for November 2024, was delayed due to scheduling conflicts. It was rescheduled to January 2025 after a judge determined there was enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. The case will resume on January 28, 2025, to allow the defence additional time to prepare.
Relli, a former member of the A$AP Mob, filed a civil lawsuit against Rocky on August 10, 2022, accusing him of assault, battery, and emotional distress. Rocky has denied the allegations. Following his arrest at Los Angeles International Airport in April 2022, he was released on bail the same day.
Rocky’s attorney, Tacopina, stated that the rapper was “cool as a cucumber” and eager to move on from the trial, hoping to focus on his family once the legal proceedings conclude.
