Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was found guilty in December last year on the charges of carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, assault with a semiautomatic handgun and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

Megan Thee Stallion, born Megan Pete, spent four days in hospital, required surgery to remove bullet fragments, and underwent physical therapy to walk again.

After the verdict, the LA District Attorney acknowledged that Megan’s fame had helped shine a light on violence against women.

Prosecutor George Gascón said: "The fact that she is a successful entertainer has brought an important spotlight on the issue of violence against women.”

In a statement, Megan said: “He not only shot me, he made a mockery of my trauma.

“This is a statement for all survivors that their lives matter and there is zero tolerance for the torture that accompanies violence.”

She added: "Slowly but surely, I'm healing and coming back, but I will never be the same."

The incident occurred when the pair left Jenner’s gathering in the Hollywood Hills, accompanied by his boyfriend and her friend and assistant Kelsey Harris.

In the early hours of 12 July 2020, an argument broke out between the pair over grievances from their previous sexual relationship and negative opinions on each other’s careers.

After Megan demanded to be let out of the vehicle, Lanez is said to have started shooting at the ground and bayed at her to “dance”.

Lanez’s lawyers offered an alternative account that suggested Harris had shot her friend out of jealousy over her relationship with the rapper.

Though Harris denied this account, she backtracked on previous statements that confirmed Lanez as the shooter, instead telling the jury that she did not see who shot Megan.

Jose Baez, the defence lawyer representing Lanez, told reporters outside the courthouse that he believed the sentence to have been too harsh and as such would be lodging an appeal on Lanez’s conviction.

Baez said: “I have seen homicide cases, other cases where there’s a death and the person still gets less than 10 years.

“It’s just another example of somebody being punished for their celebrity status, someone being utilised as an example.”

Prosecutors had been looking for a 13-year prison sentence from Judge David Herriford at a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The prosecution argued that the shooting of a “vulnerable victim” was exacerbated by Lanex waging "a campaign to humiliate and re-traumatise her" after the incident.

Director of Victim Services at the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, Tanishia Wright, told reporters after the sentencing hearing: "Violence against black women and girls is a long standing national epidemic that has long been overlooked and under-reported."

She added: "Women of colour more times than not do not come forward to report victimisation due to the fear they will not be believed.”

The judge revealed that he had received more than 70 letters in support of Lanez from friends and family.

Fellow rapper Iggy Azalea is said to have written a letter urging the judge to issue a sentence that was “transformative, not life-destroying.”

Megan Thee Stallion won the Grammy award for best new artist, best rap song and best rap performance in 2021.

Tory Lanez has had seven top 10 albums in the US in the past seven years.