Megan Thee Stallionof Former best friend Kelsey Harris took the stand Tory LanezAt Wednesday’s felony assault trial, prosecutors said she recorded a shocking interview in September.
Prosecutors replayed snippets of interviews in Harris’ militant testimony while acknowledging that Harris made a detailed statement three months earlier, but described the damaging account as “inaccurate.” , claimed that day “wasn’t true” to “defend” himself.
Sitting a short distance from the jurors in the Los Angeles courtroom, Harris, unable to remember the alleged threats from Lanez in his SUV, saw Lanez with a gun during an alcohol-fueled fight on July 12. He testified that he no longer remembered seeing or shooting Megan. , 2020.
In part of the recording played for the jury, Harris told prosecutors that after Lanez said, “I’ll shoot you,” from the SUV’s center console, “like I was going to grab something.” I reached out my hand.” I heard him say.
Harris, 27, agreed that she made the statement at a September roundtable, but when assistant district attorney Cathy Ta asked her to explain the alleged jury intimidation, Harris said: “Some of the things I said weren’t accurate,” she said.
“The night was a blur. We were affected,” she said on the witness stand.
When prosecutors confronted her with her recorded statement claiming to have seen Lanez “pointing the gun straight, but always in a downward direction toward Megan,” Harris again hit her stride. He reversed and said he did not witness the shooting.
She said the mixture of anxiety, postpartum issues, and grief associated with the death of someone close to her made it difficult to remember details and even focus on Wednesday’s in-person visit questions.
Still, she said it was absurd for the defense to claim that she was the one who shot Megan and injured both legs of the “Savage” rapper during a roadside dispute two years ago.
“I mean, it’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous,” Harris testified in court in downtown Los Angeles — the next day Megan told jurors she saw Lanez point a gun at her and open fire.
Harris was expected to be a key witness in high-profile cases, as he is the closest eyewitness to the events leading up to the shooting confirmed to testify at the trial other than Megan herself. . In the opening statement, Prosecutors said she would corroborate Allegations that Lanez, whose full name is Dayster Peterson, pulled the trigger.
For the past two years, she’s been tight-lipped and estranged from Megan despite their seven-year previous friendship, so she was seen as a wild card ahead of her trial.
Criminal attorney Daniel A. Nadoni accompanied him when he first entered court on Wednesday. Lawyers said Harris plans to assert Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Prosecutors subsequently said they would offer “use of immunity” for her testimony, and she was sworn in as a witness.
“You can stay here today,” Harris said to Ta a few minutes after the examination. Calling the trial a “trigger situation,” she said she struggled with “anxiety” and was coping with the birth of a child and recent death: “I just don’t want to be here.”
Then she took aim at Megan.
“She paints a picture that I betrayed her. She paints a picture that I am this bad person, this bad friend, and I took hush money. There are many lies,” she testified. did.
Ta then asked Harris about other alleged lies. “Was there an accusation that you shot Megan?” she asked.
“Yes,” Harris replied.
“What do you think of them?” Ta asked.
“I mean, it’s silly. It’s silly,” said Harris.
Peterson, 30, sat in the defense during his testimony. The “Luv” singer has pleaded not guilty to his three felony counts, alleging he shot and seriously injured Megan with his semi-automatic 9mm handgun. He hid a loaded, unregistered firearm in his vehicle.When fired a firearm with gross negligence.
If you are found guilty of being charged with alone at prom The rapper faces 22 years and 8 months in prison, followed by possible deportation, for being a Canadian citizen.
Dressed in a black ensemble and her hair in a bun, Harris told jurors that she and Megan met and befriended Tory Lanez at Rock Nation as early as 2020. But then she contracted COVID-19 and was at home in Houston for a couple of months. She believes the “dynamic” between Megan and Tory changed while she was away.
She then described a rally at Kylie Jenner’s house prior to the shooting. I feel a little sick,” he said.
She said that at some point, Peterson arrived at the mansion after passing out inside. Asked how Peterson was acting, she said, “Tory is doing his thing — being Tory, flirting.”
“Who was he flirting with?” asked Ta.
“He was flirting with Kylie,” she replied.
Harris testified that she left Peterson and left with Peterson’s driver after Megan said he was ready to leave. Argued, Peterson’s driver refused to leave the property without the client.)
Harris said that shortly after she and Megan left Jenner’s house for the first time, Megan told the driver he forgot his “slippers,” so they got back.
She said that Megan went in alone and “seems like there was a fight or something.”
“She ran off with Tory,” she testified. “She was like, ‘Bitch, Kylie said we have to get the fuck out.’ I was like, “I’m confused.”
She said the trio got into Peterson’s Cadillac Escalade with driver Jaukan Smith, where they all started arguing.
“There was a lot of back and forth between me and Megan, Tory and Megan, Tory and Megan, Megan and Tory,” she said. .”
Ta asked if he remembered Tory saying something to the effect of “Megan, why don’t you tell your friends about us?”
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied. “[Megan]was like, ‘Don’t listen to him.’ Why would you say that to her?
Asked what her reaction was, Harris said she was “upset and confused.” She testified that she was close with Peterson before she contracted Covid and went to Houston.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” she said. “He’s just saying they had a relationship. They had a relationship. The argument goes on and just goes on. Me and her are arguing about her infidelity.”
She said there was “a lot of name-calling” and everyone was “taking jabs at each other.” I remember telling
Ta then began asking Harris about interviews with prosecutors that were recorded in September.
“Remember in this interview with (another prosecutor) and me that he said he threatened to shoot you?” Ta asked.
“Do I have to answer that?” Harris said, looking at the judge.
“Yes,” said Judge David Hereford.
“Um, yes, ma’am,” Harris replied, confirming that Peterson had allegedly threatened to shoot her.
“And this was in the car, wasn’t it?” Ta asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“What did he do and what did he say?” Ta asked.
“Can I take a fifth?” Harris replied as he left the stand to speak with his lawyer. Upon her return, Harris again exercised her right to self-incrimination.
“Why don’t you want to answer that question?” Ta asked.
“I don’t want to be here,” Harris replied.
Harris is scheduled to return to the witness stand on Thursday.
Updated at 8:16pm to reflect Kelsey Harris’ afternoon testimony
