For the past three weeks, A$AP Rocky did his best to keep his cool for Rihanna while on trial in downtown Los Angeles.
After the “Fashion Killa” rapper was found not guilty in his felony assault trial on Tuesday, Feb. 18, a source tells PEOPLE that he put on a “brave face” for his partner — despite facing up to 24 years in prison.
“There are really no words to express how relieved they are. Not accepting the plea deal was a gamble, but he always had faith in his legal team,” the source tells PEOPLE exclusively of Rihanna and Rocky, both 36.
“He’s been putting on a brave face to not stress Rihanna out more, but it was obvious yesterday that it’s been very stressful for him,” the source adds of Rocky, who was accused of firing a semi-automatic handgun at his former friend and A$AP Mob member A$AP Relli in an altercation in November 2021.
After the first verdict was read, Rocky, who was facing two charges of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm, immediately jumped over the stand to hug his mom, sister and Rihanna.
“Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank y’all for making the right decision,” he told the jury.
After the hearing, the “Love on the Brain” singer expressed gratitude on her Instagram Stories: “The glory belongs to God and God alone!”
“Thankful, humbled by His mercy!” she added.
Rocky turned down a plea deal from prosecutors and opted for a jury trial instead of pleading guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on Jan. 21.
Rihanna showed up to court on several days of the trial and even brought their two sons, RZA, 2½, and Riot, 18 months.
During closing statements, District Attorney John Lewin asked the jury not to be swayed by Rihanna’s presence in the court.
“This is not something you’re allowed to consider,” he said. “We are all responsible for what we do.”
He continued, “I want to make sure that no matter how famous his [partner] is, no matter how cute his kids are, no matter how much they giggle during closing arguments… he needs to be treated like any other person. Because in the end that’s what he’s entitled to.”
During a break the day they came in, Rihanna told her sons to “wish Daddy good luck” before they took off.
In opening statements, Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina claimed the rapper was carrying a “prop gun” in case of potential threats.
“For Relli, it was never about justice… it’s about a man seeking a profit from a fabricated narrative,” Tacopina said. “Rocky has nothing to hide here.”
Meanwhile, the prosecution team argued this was “not a complicated case” and Relli showed up the night of the altercation thinking they would “repair their relationship.” (While on the stand in November 2023, Relli testified they were “really cool” before tension started to built because Rocky found solo success and became “big-headed.”
Relli, filed a civil suit for assault, battery and emotional distress against Rocky on Aug. 10, 2022. The rapper has denied all claims. On April 20, 2022, Rocky was arrested at Los Angeles International and released on bail the same day.
Following his arraignment last January, Tacopina told press Rocky was “cool as a cucumber” ahead of trial and eager to get it “over with so he can start enjoying his family.”
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