By Olivia Wilson Daystar Peterson, the Canadian rapper and singer known as Tory Lanez, remains in California state prison after being convicted of shooting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. A Los Angeles jury convicted him of three felony firearm offenses in December 2022, and a judge sentenced him to ten years in August 2023. His direct appeal was rejected in November 2025. As of October 12, 2026, Lanez has not been released. His most recently reported location is California Men’s Colony, while a separate lawsuit concerns a serious stabbing he suffered in prison in 2025.
Is Tory Lanez in Prison Right Now?
Yes. Lanez is serving a ten-year California sentence. Multiple 2026 reports identify California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo as his latest prison, after a transfer from the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. His exact institutional assignment may change, but there has been no verified release or order setting aside his sentence.
Why Did Tory Lanez Go to Prison?
The case stemmed from a July 12, 2020, incident in the Hollywood Hills after a gathering. Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, testified that Lanez fired at her feet after an argument as she left a vehicle. She was injured and required medical treatment. Lanez disputed the prosecution’s account and has continued to maintain his innocence.
In December 2022, jurors found him guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. The verdict came after the jury heard testimony and evidence concerning the confrontation and its aftermath.
How Long Is Tory Lanez’s Sentence?
On August 8, 2023, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford imposed a ten-year prison term. This was a California state sentence, not a federal sentence. Lanez was not sentenced to life, and it is inaccurate to describe the term as having automatically ended because he filed an appeal.
Reports have discussed possible eligibility for release before the full ten years under California rules, but an eligibility estimate is not an approved release date. His actual custody period is governed by the judgment and applicable credit calculations. No confirmed 2026 prison-release date has been announced.
What Happened to Tory Lanez’s Appeal?
In November 2025, California’s Second District Court of Appeal upheld his convictions. The appellate judges rejected arguments that the trial court had mishandled important evidence and testimony. Subsequent reporting in 2026 said the California Supreme Court declined to review his case. Those decisions left the verdict and prison sentence in effect.
An appeal examines claimed legal errors; it does not repeat the original jury trial. Lanez’s continued disagreement with the verdict does not by itself mean he has obtained a new trial or been cleared of the offenses.
What Happened During the 2025 Prison Stabbing?
Lanez suffered serious injuries in May 2025 when another inmate attacked him at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. Associated Press reporting described multiple stab wounds and emergency hospital treatment. He survived and was later transferred to another prison.
The attack was separate from his conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. Being injured while incarcerated did not cancel his sentence or automatically make him eligible for release.
Why Did Tory Lanez File a $100 Million Lawsuit in 2026?
In April 2026, Lanez filed a federal lawsuit seeking $100 million from California corrections authorities and prison employees. He alleges that officials failed to protect him from a dangerous cellmate and responded inadequately to the attack. The allegations about institutional responsibility are his claims in civil litigation, not final judicial findings. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation declined to comment on the pending case when the lawsuit was reported.
The civil suit addresses prison conditions and alleged failures by officials. It does not directly overturn the criminal verdict or reduce his ten-year sentence.
When Will Tory Lanez Be Released?
A final release date has not been established in reliable public reporting reviewed for October 12, 2026. Prison credits and lawful sentence modifications may affect the timing, but neither the unsuccessful appeal nor the civil lawsuit amounts to a release order.
Tory Lanez remains imprisoned under the August 2023 sentence, with California Men’s Colony his latest reported location.