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Note: This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual and physical assault.
A jury in Santa Monica, California, has delivered a verdict in a civil case against the rapper Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way. The musician has been found liable for several charges, including assault, sexual battery, gender violence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among others. The plaintiff, a woman identified in court as Jane Doe, will receive over $4 million in damages.
However, the jury cleared Soulja Boy of other allegations in the lawsuit, specifically regarding false imprisonment and the creation of a hostile work environment.
Attorney Ronald L. Zambrano, representing Doe, expressed satisfaction with the jury’s decision, stating, “We’re happy our client was vindicated and the jury believed her claims of physical and sexual assault. We’re looking forward to moving on to the punitive damages phase of the case.”
Fellow attorney Neama Rahmani commented, “Today’s verdict is just the beginning of justice for Soulja Boy’s victims and other victims in the music industry.”
According to the details shared in the lawsuit, Jane Doe began her employment with Soulja Boy in December 2018. Shortly thereafter, the complaint alleges, their professional relationship turned romantic. However, the lawsuit claims that shortly after this development, Soulja Boy began exhibiting abusive behavior toward her, with incidents reportedly commencing around January 23, 2019. The lawsuit details various acts of physical violence, sexual assaults, and threats, including extreme physical confrontations, which the plaintiff says continued until December 23, 2020. The most severe incident allegedly took place when Doe attempted to reclaim her belongings from the rapper’s residence.
The civil trial, which began in March, featured testimony from Doe, who recounted harrowing experiences of repeated assaults. “I was about 86 pounds when I managed to get away from him,” she noted. “I didn’t even feel human anymore. I felt like an animal.”
Soulja Boy has consistently denied the allegations against him. His attorney, Rickey Ivie, suggested in court that Doe’s motivations were financial, implying that she was fabricating her claims to enrich herself. Efforts to obtain comments from Ivie and Soulja Boy’s other attorney, Jacque LaMont Shirley, on the recent verdict have been initiated by media outlets.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault or domestic abuse, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
https://thehotline.org
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Source
pitchfork.com