Nicki Minaj’s attorney has responded on her behalf to the $20 million default judgment that was requested by Jennifer Hough, a woman who is suing the rapper and her husband for harassment and witness intimidation. According to the Daily Beast, Tyrone Blackburn, who represents Hough, said he received an email from lawyer Judd Burstein on the “Itty Bitty Piggy” emcee’s behalf, “in which he requested that Blackburn withdraw the petition and grant an extension to respond.”
“I said NO!” Blackburn told the outlet via email. “I told him to prepare his opposition to my request for default judgment and explain to the court why his client and her husband believe they’re both above the law.”
Back in 1995, Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty was convicted of first-degree attempted rape against Hough, who was previously unidentified in the case due to her young age. Petty denied the allegations, however, he later pleaded guilty to the charges and served four-and-a-half years in prison.
Last month, Hough appeared on “The Real” to speak about the encounter with Petty. She said that she was on her way to school when he approached her and grabbed her by the jacket. Hough stated she felt him press something into her back, which she believed to be a gun, as he led her to a house. According to her lawsuit, the weapon was later discovered to be a knife.
Following the incident, Hough reported Petty to the police. On “The Real,” she said that she was forced to relocate herself and her family due to the assault. On Aug. 21, 2020, she filed a lawsuit against the Pettys, alleging that they’ve been tormenting her and her relatives to try to get her to drop the allegations.
The litigation, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, also accuses Petty of violating his plea deal by allegedly telling Hough “not to speak out.”