Megan Thee Stallion‘s former friend and assistant Kelsey Harris has once again denied that Tory Lanez paid her to change her account of the 2020 shooting involving the two artists.
In a surprise turn of events, Harris delivered testimony on Wednesday (December 14) that almost completely contradicted a statement she had given to prosecutors in September.
During their cross-examination, which took place on Thursday (December 15), Tory Lanez’ attorney took the opportunity to address any suspicion that his client had something to do with her changed account of events.
According to Law & Crime reporter Meghann Cuniff — who is covering the trial in Los Angeles and has been sharing updates via Twitter — Los Angeles County District Attorney Kathy Ta continued questioning Kelsey Harris when the trial resumed on Thursday, and made sure Harris understood that, while she has been granted immunity from her testimony being used against her at a later date, she can still be prosecuted for perjury.
Ta: "You don't have immunity to perjure yourself on the stand?"
Kelsey: "Yes, ma'am."
Ta then asked her if Megan was shot that night.
"Again, her team told me she stepped on glass," Kelsey testified.— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) December 15, 2022
When pushed about a text message in which Harris notified Megan Thee Stallion’s security that “Tory shot Meg,” she told the district attorney that the message was based on her assumption.
“She said she DID hear gunshots that night, but she denied seeing Megan limping,” Meghann Cuniff reported.
Kelsey Harris was then asked again about Megan Thee Stallion’s allegation that she had been offered $1 million to keep quiet about the specifics of the shooting. After failing to answer the question directly on Wednesday, saying that her “mind isn’t here right now” due to post-partum depression, she offered more details on Thursday.
In what Cuniff called a “really nuanced testimony,” Harris reportedly recounted a conversation she had with Tory Lanez about $1 million dollars and the case, but clarified that she did not believe that to be a bribe.
“Tory’s lawyer George Mgdesyan asked Kelsey in his cross-examination if she’d had any contact with Tory or his lawyers or felt intimidated in any way, and Kelsey said no,” Cuniff wrote.
"Has my client paid you anything?" Mgdesyan asked.
"No," Kelsey answered.
Kelsey added: "I would actually like to make that very clear. I've seen some things" from Meg's attorneys "and I'm tired of that line. So, no."— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) December 15, 2022
Los Angeles Times writer James Queally, who has also been sharing updates to social media, tweeted that Mgdesyan went on to ask Kelsey Harris questions that implied that the reason why her testimony at trial was so different than the statement she gave authorities in September, is that she was in fact being pressured by the prosecution to corroborate the details Megan Thee Stallion has given about the night of the shooting.
As a result, Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney has requested that Harris’ entire original statement be played in court.
On cross examination, defense attorney George Mgdesyan began to ask questions implying prosecution had pressured Harris to testify, and DDA Alexander Bott is arguing this has opened the door to playing the tape to defend the integrity of the prosecution.
— James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) December 15, 2022
Per Meghann Cuniff, jurors have already been able to hear portions of Kesley Harris’ statement, however Superior Court Judge David Herriford has informed them that the audio is not to be considered as evidence in the case. He has simply allowed the prosecution to use portions of the recording to remind Harris of the pretrial exchange.
What the jurors will have access to when they begin deliberating the case are the texts from Kelsey Harris, as well as audio of an “apologetic call Tory made to Kelsey from jail hours after the shooting.” They will also be able to re-read transcripts of a text the singer sent to Megan Thee Stallion the morning after the incident, in which he apologized to the Texas rapper, but failed to mention a gun or her injury.
The trial in the high-profile case began in Los Angeles on Monday (December 12), in which Tory has pleaded not guilty to three felony charges: assault with a firearm causing great bodily injury; concealing a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
If convicted, the Toronto-born rapper faces up to 22 years and eight months in prison, as well as deportation back to Canada.
In his opening statement to jurors, Alexander Bott said that Harris, who has since become estranged from Megan following the shooting and was a wildcard leading up to the trial, would take the stand and share her first-person account of the fateful night, according to Rolling Stone.
“Kelsey will tell you that she just saw her close friend get shot by the defendant,” Bott said, adding that she rushed to Megan’s side as the Houston rapper lay bleeding in a driveway in the Hollywood Hills, where the trio had attended a party at Kylie Jenner’s house.
The prosecutor claimed that Harris approached Tory Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) after he had fired the five rounds. The rapper allegedly “physically assaulted” Harris, pulling her by her hair and striking her with either a punch or a slap.
According to Bott, Tory brandished the gun after Megan “insulted his skills as a musical artist.” Bott also conceded that Megan and Tory had “been intimate” prior to the shooting, contradicting Megan’s previous claim that she “didn’t have a sexual relationship” with the rapper.
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