Rihanna’s gunman has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder after he fired 20 rounds into Rihanna’s Beverly Hills home in March.
Suffice to say, the woman who drove from Florida in broad daylight to try and get away from superstar billionaire Rihanna was dragged into court today to face her punishment.
Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 35, of Orlando, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and 13 additional felony charges in the March 8 incident that left bullet holes in the singer’s door, walls and a car parked outside her home.
The shooting occurred around 1:15 p.m. PT when Ortiz allegedly fired approximately 20 rounds from a white Tesla vehicle located across from Rihanna’s gate.
A bullet penetrated the house itself, where Rihanna was inside when the attack occurred.
Police found the white Tesla that fled southbound on Coldwater Canyon Drive and arrested Ortiz at Sherman Oaks Mall just 30 minutes after the 911 call.
Police recovered an assault rifle and seven shell casings from her car.
During her court appearance, Ortiz’s public defender, Derek Ray Dillman, entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf as she stood in the holding area.
She waived her right to a speedy preliminary hearing, and her attorneys asked that her bail be reduced from $1.9 million to $70,000.
The judge denied the request, preventing her from receiving a higher amount.
The charges against Ortiz are serious. She faces one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Prosecutors said the attack was intentional, deliberate and premeditated, according to court documents.
If convicted on all counts, Ortiz could spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, and authorities are continuing to investigate what led to the attack on one of music’s biggest stars.
