Canadian rapper Tory Lanez has been transferred to a supermax prison in California, where he is expected to face harsher conditions than his previous medium-security facility.
Lanez was convicted in August of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2020 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was initially placed in administrative segregation at North Kern State Prison due to his celebrity status, but was reportedly living a "loner" existence, with no access to the yard, phone, or canteen.
The California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, where Lanez is now being held, is a supermax prison that houses some of the state's most dangerous and violent offenders. Conditions at supermax prisons are typically more restrictive than at other types of prisons, with inmates typically spending more time in their cells and having less access to programs and activities.
It is unclear why Lanez was transferred to a supermax prison, but it is possible that his celebrity status or the seriousness of his crime played a role. It is also possible that Lanez's behavior at North Kern State Prison may have contributed to the decision to transfer him.
In a statement to Complex, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said that Lanez was transferred to CCI due to "security concerns." The CDCR declined to elaborate on the nature of these concerns.
Lanez's transfer to a supermax prison has sparked debate among some legal experts and criminal justice advocates. Some argue that the transfer is an excessive punishment, given that Lanez is a first-time offender and has not been accused of any violent behavior while in prison. Others argue that the transfer is justified, given the seriousness of Lanez's crime and the potential for him to be targeted by other inmates.