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The woman accused of opening fire on Rihanna’s Beverly Hills home appeared for a brief court hearing on Wednesday.
Ivanna Ortiz made her first appearance at Los Angeles Superior Court since pleading not guilty last month to 14 charges, including the attempted murder of the global singing star.
Handcuffed and wearing a yellow prison shirt, the blonde-haired Ortiz reportedly smiled as a sheriff’s deputy led her from the cells into the downtown LA criminal court. Prosecutors allege that on March 8, Ortiz drove to the singer’s residence and opened fire with an assault rifle.
Serious Charges and Potential Life Sentence
In addition to the attempted murder charge, Ortiz faces:
- 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
- Three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling.
If convicted on all counts, she faces life in prison.
“This could easily have resulted in multiple homicides of adults and children,” stressed Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott. He further noted that the shooting appeared premeditated, alleging Ortiz arrived at the scene with a loaded weapon, extra ammunition, and a wig used as a disguise.
Bail Request Denied
During her arraignment last month, Judge Theresa McGonigle refused to reduce Ortiz’s $1.87 million bail.
On Wednesday, the new justice assigned to the case, Judge Shannon Cooley, also denied a request by Ortiz’s public defender to lower the bail amount. The judge scheduled a follow-up appearance for May 13, at which point a date will be set for a full preliminary hearing.
A Narrow Escape for the Family
No injuries were reported during the incident. Prosecutors allege Ortiz drove her white Tesla Model 3 to the five-bedroom property and fired multiple shots toward the home and a neighboring house.
At the time of the attack, Rihanna was inside the property with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, and their three children: sons RZA (3) and Riot (2), and their six-month-old daughter, Rocki.