Tory Lanez: Supporters Urge California Governor to Pardon Rapper Over Megan Thee Stallion Shooting
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Supporters of Tory Lanez are urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon the Canadian rapper, who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for shooting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion.
A Change.org petition launched by The Caldwell Institute for Public Safety has gathered more than 322,000 signatures so far. The campaign’s founder, conservative commentator Gianno Caldwell, addressed an open letter to the governor, warning that the conviction poses what he described as a “threat to justice.”
He invoked the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in calling for Lanez’s release.
Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, was convicted in 2022 of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded weapon in a vehicle, and recklessly discharging it ,offences stemming from a 2020 incident in which Megan Thee Stallion was shot in the foot. He has consistently denied the charges.
At a press conference, Lanez’s lawyer Walter Roberts restated the defence’s claim: “Tory never shot anybody. He never even touched the gun.”
His supporters argue the case was flawed from the start. They point to what they call “prosecutorial misconduct,” “missing forensic data,” and a politically charged climate surrounding the case.
The petition has attracted attention far beyond legal circles. Superstar rapper Drake recently shared a message of support on Instagram, writing simply: “@torylanez come home soon” to his 142 million followers — a move that sparked both support and criticism online.
Concerns have also been raised about Lanez’s wellbeing in prison. According to unconfirmed media reports, the rapper suffered multiple stab wounds and a collapsed lung following an altercation behind bars — claims which have not been officially verified by prison authorities.
Among those lending their voice to the clemency campaign is Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), she described Lanez’s sentence as the result of “flawed evidence, political pressure, and prosecutorial bias,” adding that “justice must be blind — not driven by headlines.”
Megan Thee Stallion, however, has made it clear she does not support any suggestion that the case was mishandled. “Lanez was convicted by a jury, and the case is closed,” her attorney, Alex Spiro, said in a statement.
Lanez will be eligible for parole in 2029 unless the governor intervenes. Governor Newsom has not responded publicly to the petition.
