Here’s Why A Judge Blocked Kenneth Petty’s Sex Assault Victim’s Request For “Default” Judgement In $20 Million Harassment Lawsuit
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According to a Rolling Stone report, a judge is actually giving The Pettys more time to respond to their harassment lawsuit despite speculation that a “default” judgment would be granted in the case.
Reportedly the plaintiff, Jennifer Hough, had asked the court to find Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty in “default” and award her $20 million for her claims that she endured a “relentless campaign of bribery, intimidation, harassment, and stalking” from the couple. Hough claimed The Pettys tried to get her to recant her claim Petty raped her at knifepoint back in 1994.
On Tuesday, the federal clerk for the Eastern District of New York denied Hough’s request related to Nicki Minaj, writing on the court docket that “it appears” Minaj filed paperwork last week saying she finally hired a lawyer to defend her. The federal court clerk decided the “Pink Print” rapper didn’t fail to respond to the lawsuit, which included her in harassment and bribery accusations along with her husband Kenneth. However, they did find that Kenneth still “has not filed an answer or otherwise moved with respect to the complaint.”
Hough’s lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, told Rolling Stone Tuesday that he still plans to pursue a default motion against Petty for the $20 million.
“It’s interesting that Kenneth Petty is currently in the Eastern District of New York suing the state of New York, but he has no respect for this proceeding and no respect for this judge to come forward and to answer for raping Jennifer Hough in 1994 and all the harassment he and his wife and his goons visited upon her since then,” Blackburn said.
Blackburn is referring to Petty reportedly suing New York state officials with a claim he wasn’t properly notified in 2004 of his right to challenge the risk level under the Sex Offender Registration Act. He was incarcerated at the time following his conviction for first-degree manslaughter involving the shooting death of a man on a Queens street.
As far as Nicki, the rapper maintained to the court that her being late in her response was “an innocent mistake.” Reportedly, in a sworn statement filed October 15th, Minaj said she thought she had successfully hired her lawyer in late September after speaking with him over Zoom but that series of “innocent miscommunications” led to a delay in the payment of his retainer.
