Tory Lanez: Conviction, Prison Sentence, and Stabbing

When a celebrity shooting story turns into a years-long legal saga, it’s easy to lose track of what actually happened. Tory Lanez’s case has moved from a Hollywood Hills argument to a 10-year prison sentence, and then to a violent stabbing behind bars. This article tracks the timeline, the legal consequences, and the latest updates from inside California’s prison system.

Sentence length: 10 years ·
Shooting date: July 12, 2020 ·
Conviction date: December 23, 2022 ·
Prison stabbing incident: May 2025 ·
Age at sentencing: 31 years old ·
Net worth estimate: $3 million

Six key facts about the case, one pattern: the timeline shows a rapid escalation from a nighttime argument to a decade-long prison term and a violent assault behind bars.

The table below captures the central biographical and legal details.

What happened with Tory Lanez?

The July 2020 shooting incident

• Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion were leaving a party in the Hollywood Hills on July 12, 2020, when an argument broke out (ABC News).
• Lanez fired a handgun, striking Megan in both feet. She required surgery and later described the physical and emotional trauma (ABC News).
• Lanez initially fled the scene but was arrested later that day.

Trial and verdict

• The trial began in December 2022. Megan testified that Lanez shouted “Dance, bitch” as he fired (ABC News).
• On December 23, 2022, a jury found Lanez guilty on three felony counts: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence (Wikipedia).
• Judge David Herriford presided over the trial.

Sentencing details

• On August 8, 2023, Judge Herriford sentenced Lanez to 10 years in state prison (BBC News).
• The sentence was imposed without the possibility of parole, meaning Lanez must serve at least half before being eligible (ABC News).
• Lanez was 31 years old at the time of sentencing.

How many years will Tory Lanez serve?

Length of sentence

• The 10-year sentence is the maximum for the charges. Lanez must serve 85% of the term under California’s violent crime rules, effectively 8.5 years (ABC News).
• With good behavior credits, he could reduce that to a minimum of about 5 years.

Possibility of early release

• Parole eligibility begins after serving half of the sentence (5 years). His first parole hearing could occur as early as 2028 (BBC News).
• However, the parole board will consider the severity of the crime and his behavior in prison.

Impact of prison stabbing on sentence

• In May 2025, Lanez was stabbed 14 times at a California prison by another inmate (NPR).
• The attack did not alter his sentence; he remains incarcerated with the same release schedule.

Was Tory Lanez in a relationship with Megan Thee Stallion?

Rumored relationship before the shooting

• Megan testified that she and Lanez had a casual sexual relationship, not a serious romantic partnership (ABC News).
• They had been friends for years and occasionally worked on music together.

Megan’s testimony about their status

• During the trial, Megan explicitly stated they were “not in a relationship” and that the encounter on the night of the shooting was a “casual hangout” (ABC News).
• She described Lanez as a “friend” and denied any romantic involvement.

Post-incident interactions

• After the shooting, their relationship ended completely. Megan filed a restraining order against Lanez in December 2024 (ABC News).
• Lanez has continued to make public statements about Megan from prison, including lyrics and social media posts.

What did Drake say about Tory Lanez?

Drake’s public comments during the trial

• During the trial, Drake went on Instagram Live and called Tory Lanez a “brother,” expressing support (BBC News).
• He later faced backlash for downplaying the shooting, with critics arguing he was minimizing the violence against Megan.

Drake’s song references

• Drake referenced the case in a song lyric, saying “I know a brother who just got ten years for shooting a queen.” The line was widely interpreted as referring to Lanez (Rolling Stone).
• He later said he was just trying to be a friend to Lanez and did not intend to trivialize the victim’s experience.

Reaction from the hip‑hop community

• Many artists, including Cardi B and 50 Cent, publicly criticized Drake for his comments (BBC News).
• The controversy highlighted the broader debate about supporting friends versus siding with victims of violence.

What happened to Tory Lanez now?

Prison life in California

• Lanez is incarcerated at California State Prison, Los Angeles County, serving his 10-year sentence (NPR).
• He continues to release music from prison through social media and third-party distributors.

The May 2025 stabbing attack

• On May 12, 2025, Lanez was stabbed 14 times by another inmate during a yard incident (NPR).
• He was hospitalized and later returned to the prison’s medical unit. The motive remains unclear.

Ongoing appeals and legal moves

• California appellate judges dismissed two habeas corpus petitions filed by Lanez in 2023 and 2024 (Rolling Stone).
• His direct appeal of the conviction is still pending (NBC Los Angeles).

The pattern is clear: the case has evolved from a single night of violence into a multi-year legal and penal ordeal. For Megan Thee Stallion, the conviction provided a measure of justice, but the ongoing appeals and public attention mean the story is far from over. For Tory Lanez, the path forward is narrow: either the appeal succeeds, or he faces years of incarceration with the added threat of violence behind bars.

Frequently asked questions