He was fighting for his life. That's the reality. While the internet was busy debating memes and old court transcripts, Tory Lanez was being rushed to a Bakersfield hospital with both lungs collapsed. It’s wild how fast things move in the California prison system. One minute you’re dropping "Prison Tapes" and the next, you’re in a critical care unit.
Early on the morning of May 12, 2025, the walls of the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi saw a level of violence that changed the trajectory of Daystar Peterson’s ten-year sentence. He wasn't just "involved in a scuffle." He was ambushed.
The Attack: 14 Times in the Yard
The details are pretty grisly, honestly. Around 7:20 a.m., Peterson was in the housing unit when another inmate—identified by some reports as Santino Casio, a man serving life for murder—targeted him. This wasn't a warning. It was a full-on hit.
Lanez was stabbed 14 times.
- Seven wounds to his back.
- Four to his torso.
- Two to the back of his head.
- One to the left side of his face.
The sheer volume of injuries suggests a level of intent that goes beyond a simple prison beef. When your lungs collapse, you aren't thinking about your next album or your appeal; you're just trying to find air. Prison staff had to perform emergency first aid on the spot before the ambulance even arrived. It’s kinda miracle he’s even talking today, let alone "recovering remarkably" as his father, Sonstar Peterson, later claimed.
Why Did This Happen?
Everyone wants to know why. Was it because of his high profile? Was it a gang thing? Or was it related to the "Prison Tapes" series he’d been running?
Back in September 2024, guards raided his cell and took his recording gear. Tory claimed he was using the money from those songs to help other inmates with their legal fees. That kind of "activism" inside a maximum-security environment can sometimes rub the wrong people the wrong way. Or maybe it was just the target on the back of any celebrity in a place like Tehachapi.
The mountains of the Mojave Desert aren't exactly a vacation spot. The California Correctional Institution houses roughly 1,700 inmates, many of whom have nothing to lose.
🔗 Read more: Paul Dano in 12 Years a Slave: Why His Performance Still Haunts Us
The Aftermath and the Transfer
After he stabilized, the state didn't take any chances. Following standard protocol for high-profile violence, they moved him. As of late 2025, Tory Lanez is reportedly serving the remainder of his time at the California Men’s Colony near San Luis Obispo. It’s supposed to be "safer," but in the world of the CDCR (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation), safety is a relative term.
The Legal Side: A Door Closing
While Tory was healing from physical wounds, his legal team was taking hits in the courtroom. In November 2025, a three-judge panel officially denied his appeal. They upheld the 10-year sentence for the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion.
You've likely seen the headlines about "new evidence"—specifically an affidavit from a bodyguard named Bradley James who claimed someone else fired the gun. His team really leaned into that. They even tried to get Governor Gavin Newsom to step in with a pardon. But so far? Nothing. The court said the evidence against him was "overwhelming."
Basically, the legal road has hit a massive dead end. Between the $20,000 fines for skipping depositions in civil cases and the denied appeals, the walls are closing in from all sides.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think being a celebrity in prison means you’re in some "country club" jail. That’s a total myth. Tory was in a medium-to-maximum security facility when this happened. He was in the "yard" with everyone else.
Also, there’s this idea that he’s just sitting there silent. He’s not. Even after the stabbing, he’s been active on social media through his team, thanking God and maintaining his innocence. It’s a polarizing stance that keeps his fan base—the #FreeTory crowd—fueled up, but it clearly hasn't helped him with the parole board or the appellate courts.
✨ Don't miss: Untouchable Taylor Swift Lyrics: Why This Rare Cover Is Actually a Songwriting Masterclass
Realities of the Sentence
- Release Date: With the way California credits work, he likely won't serve the full ten years, but the stabbing incident and any potential "inciting" behavior could affect his "good time" credits.
- Civil Battles: Megan Thee Stallion still has a restraining order against him through 2030.
- Medical Status: A collapsed lung isn't a "heal and forget" injury. There’s long-term respiratory stuff he’ll be dealing with for years.
The whole situation is a mess. Whether you think he’s a victim of the system or a man finally facing the music, the fact remains that a human being was nearly killed behind bars. It’s a stark reminder that the "celebrity" status vanishes the second the cell door clicks shut.
If you're following this case, the next big thing to watch isn't another song—it's whether his legal team tries to escalate the appeal to the California Supreme Court. But given the recent rulings, that’s a very steep hill to climb.
Keep an eye on official CDCR inmate locators for the most accurate info on his current facility, as high-profile transfers happen fast when safety is on the line.
Actionable Insights for Following the Case:
If you want to stay updated on Tory's status without the tabloid fluff, check the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Inmate Locator using his legal name, Daystar Peterson. For legal updates, follow reporters like Meghann Cunniff, who has been the gold standard for factual court reporting on this specific case since the beginning.