LOS ANGELES — Megan Thee Stallion has approached a court seeking a restraining order against Tory Lanez, citing ongoing harassment from him while he serves a decade-long sentence for injuring her in a shooting incident. The hip-hop artist filed the request in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, emphasizing her concerns that Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, continues to have others relay messages that constitute harassment, reminiscent of his actions prior to incarceration.
The court filing indicates that, despite being behind bars, Peterson shows no intention of ceasing his behavior. The petition asserts, “Even now, while imprisoned, Mr. Peterson shows no signs of stopping,” highlighting the psychological toll that the continued harassment has on Megan, who is legally identified as Megan Pete. She claims he is embroiling her in recurring trauma despite his ten-year prison sentence.
According to the court documents, call logs from Lanez, located at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, suggest he is orchestrating attacks on the credibility of Megan’s claims. An inquiry directed to Lanez’s legal representation went unanswered. A hearing regarding the restraining order is slated for January 9.
The filing further alleges that individuals working in Lanez’s favor are still undermining Megan’s account, propagating false narratives, including assertions regarding missing evidence such as the gun and bullet fragments central to the case. The petition notes that the original protective order against harassment was allowed to expire, which has been framed as a significant weakness in the legal system.
In December 2022, Lanez faced conviction on three felony charges: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possessing a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Attempts by his legal team to secure a new trial have been denied, although appeals against his conviction are underway.
After being sentenced in August of the previous year, it appeared as though the tumultuous three-year saga involving both artists was reaching its conclusion. The situation has deeply impacted both of their careers and lives. The petition points out one blogger in particular, Elizabeth Milagro Cooper, who is alleged to serve as Lanez’s “puppet,” potentially aligning with his narrative. Megan accused Cooper of disseminating false information across social media platforms, questioning the validity of her shooting claims and labeling her as a “professional victim.”
Cooper’s attorney, Michael Pancier, chose not to comment on the California petition, suggesting that their upcoming official response to the federal lawsuit involving Cooper will address the issues at hand. A previous motion to dismiss Megan’s lawsuit described the claims as “dubious legal claims” filled with “irrelevant and impertinent allegations.”
During the trial proceedings, Megan recounted the events of July 2020 when Lanez allegedly fired a weapon at her feet as they left a gathering at Kylie Jenner’s residence, demanding that she dance while doing so. It was only months later that she publicly identified him as the shooter, prompting extensive dialogue within the hip-hop community about various serious topics including the hesitance of Black victims to approach law enforcement, gender dynamics, and the larger implications of misogynoir, particularly affecting Black women.
At 29, Megan Thee Stallion had already started to gain significant traction in the music industry before the shooting, and her career has continued to flourish since, highlighted by her Grammy win for Best New Artist in 2021 and chart-topping hits including “Savage” featuring Beyoncé and Cardi B’s “WAP.” Meanwhile, Tory Lanez, now 32, made his debut in the music world in 2009 and steadily climbed in popularity, with his recent albums achieving top 10 positions on Billboard’s charts.