A jury on Thursday discovered that rapper Soulja Boy was chargeable for sexually assaulting and bodily and emotionally abusing a former assistant, awarding the girl greater than $4 million US in damages.
The choice from the Los Angeles County jurors got here after a three-week trial in Santa Monica, Calif.
The 34-year-old Soulja Boy, whose authorized title is DeAndre Cortez Means, was discovered chargeable for assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional misery. Jurors didn’t discover him chargeable for false imprisonment and different allegations. They discovered the girl ought to get about $4 million US in compensatory damages and one other $250,000 US in punitive damages.
“At this time’s verdict is just the start of justice for Soulja Boy’s victims and different victims within the music trade,” stated the plaintiff’s lawyer, Neama Rahmani, in an announcement.
Lead defence lawyer Rickey Ivie stated in his personal assertion: “We preserve that the proof doesn’t assist the decision. It’s unlucky that aspersions and misperceptions of a tradition had been allowed to affect the trial. Mr. Means totally intends to pursue his post-trial treatments and to struggle for a simply consequence on this case.”
The girl was not recognized by title within the lawsuit she filed in 2021, and The Related Press doesn’t usually title individuals who say they’ve been sexually abused.
Soulja Boy, proven right here at a sporting occasion at Crypto.com Area in 2023, started abusing the girl shortly after the 2 started a romantic relationship, in accordance with the lawsuit. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports activities)
Abuse detailed in lawsuit
She stated she started working for Soulja Boy in 2018, and he agreed to pay her $500 US per week for cleansing his home, cooking for him and doing different private duties. However she says she was by no means paid.
The 2 started a romantic relationship, and shortly after he started abusing her, raping her, kicking her, punching her and threatening her with violence and loss of life, her lawsuit alleges.
She believed she was in love with him, and he manipulated her into staying till 2020 regardless of repeated acts of violence, the lawsuit says.
She was overwhelmed and raped once more when she returned to retrieve her issues months after leaving him, the lawsuit says.
The Chicago hip-hop artist is finest identified for his 2007 single “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 and introduced him a Grammy nomination for finest rap tune.
