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On May 16, 2025, Kanye West took to his X account to post a petition calling for fellow rapper Tory Lanez's pardon, days after Lanez was stabbed multiple times while incarcerated at California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. For the unversed, Tory Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence for a shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion in 2020.
The same day Ye posted the petition, DJ Akademiks uploaded a screenshot of alleged text messages between Kanye West and Top5, which were previously shared on Top5's Instagram Story. In the alleged conversation, a text message presumably from West read:
"I'm just heading to my office. Everyday you give me something to get hyped about but I need to take a moment to work. What can I do about Tory?"
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Top5's reply urged West to repost the petition to gain more signatures, stating,
"This tweet will help a black innocent man see his kids again."
The petition, titled "Pardon Tory Lanez: Urge Governor Newsom to Correct a Deep Injustice," had received over 127K signatures at the time of this article.
In another Instagram Story, Top5 posted a screenshot of Kanye West's X post about the petition, writing, "Freee Tory #F**kthatHorse."
This is not the first time Kanye West has shown support for Tory Lanez. During a Vultures listening party in December 2023, the rapper claimed that he and Lanez used to pray together on the phone, adding that he prayed when the rapper was "locked up for the Megan Thee Stallion s**t."
"What's my n***a that got locked up for the Megan Thee Stallion s**t? Okay, look, so Tory Lanez, we used to have prayers on the phone together. And I prayed that day– and y'all saw that s**t," West said.
Exploring recent updates regarding Tory Lanez's case
On May 12, Tory Lanez was reportedly stabbed multiple times by a fellow inmate at the California Correctional Institution. According to the BBC, he received first aid at the prison and was later transported to a local hospital.
An update on his social media stated that his lungs had collapsed as a result of the attack. However, he had pulled through and was "breathing on his own."
"Tory was stabbed 14 times — including 7 wounds to his back, 4 to his torso, 2 to the back of his head, and 1 to the left side of his face. Both of his lungs collapsed, and he was placed on a breathing apparatus. He is now breathing on his own. Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through. He also wants to thank everyone for their continued prayers and support," the post read.
During a press conference on May 14, the rapper's father revealed he was "recovering remarkably." However, the conference introduced a new twist in the Megan Thee Stallion-Tory Lanez case after his legal team, Unite The People, alleged they possessed a new affidavit claiming the Canadian rapper was not the shooter.
The attorneys stated that an ex-bodyguard of Kelsey Harris, Megan Thee Stallion's former friend, alleged in a signed affidavit that he overheard Harris on a phone call confessing she was behind the shooting that injured the rapper. For context, Harris had been in the car with Lanez and Megan during the shooting incident in 2020.
During the trial in 2022, Megan Thee Stallion (real name Megan Pete) testified that she got into an argument with Tory Lanez while returning from a party in Hollywood Hills. Megan stated that Lanez pulled out a gun and shot at the ground near her feet, which resulted in bullet fragments being embedded in her foot.
However, Walter Roberts, Lanez's attorney, claimed the rapper never fired the gun at Megan during the recent press conference, saying:
"[Harris] fired at [Megan] three times. Mr. Peterson grabbed her arm and knocked it down, and the gun fired two more times. In essence, Mr. Peterson never shot anybody. Never even touched them. He never fired the gun. This statement aligns with the statement of the only non-party witness to the case, Mr. Sean Kelly, who at trial testified he saw two women fighting."
Lanez's lawyers have called for his pardon in light of the new evidence. However, Alex Spiro, Megan's attorney, said the case was "properly adjudicated through the court system" in a statement to XXL Magazine, adding:
"Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system. This is not a political matter — this is a case of a violent assault that was resolved in the court of law."
As of this article, Megan Thee Stallion has not publicly commented on the recent turn of events regarding the case.
