Soulja Boy Found Liable For Assault, Sexual Battery

A jury in California has found that Soulja Boy is liable for the assault, sexual battery, and harassment of a former assistant, identified only as Jane Doe, who filed a lawsuit against the “Crank That” rapper in 2001.

According to Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles County jurors deliberated for two days before announcing Thursday that Soulja, born DeAndre Cortez Way, will pay $4 million in compensatory damages to the plaintiff, who worked as Way’s personal assistant and, according to RS, “lived with him and entered into a sometimes-consensual intimate relationship with him in 2019 and 2020.” The jury also awarded the plaintiff another $250,000 in punitive damages after finding that the “Kiss Me Thru the Phone” artist acted with malice, oppression, or fraud.

“I feel like I got justice. Obviously, it’s not going to return everything I lost. I lost way more than I gained. My hope is he doesn’t do this to any more women,” Jane Doe told Rolling Stone after the jurors were excused, adding that it was “embarrassing” for her to have to recall and reveal details about her lowest points in her relationship with Way during her testimony.

“I don’t even recognize that person anymore — the person he turned me into. It was the worst version of myself. It was like I was in survival mode,” she said.

From RS:

In their slightly mixed decision, the jurors found that Way placed the woman in fear and subjected her to sexually offensive contact, gender violence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They found the woman also suffered “severe or pervasive” harassment when she worked for Way between Jan. 10, 2019 and July 20, 2019. The jury declined to award anything for the woman’s false imprisonment and hostile work environment claims, finding Way did not deprive her of her freedom or ability to resign.

As the verdict was read, Way looked straight ahead. He appeared to have a faint smile on his face when the clerk revealed the jury had awarded $760,000 for the woman’s assault claim. His expression dropped after he heard the jury awarded $1.5 million for the sexual battery cause of action. He left the courtroom with his head down shortly after the clerk said the jurors decided he might face punitive damages as well.

As previously reported, Jane Doe alleged in her lawsuit that within a month of being employed by Way, the Atlanta rapper and producer began sending her unsolicited pictures of his penis. She claimed that her relationship with Way, which she said soon became toxic, was plagued with “numerous instances of physical violence,” including kicking, throwing and punching, as well as “sexual assaults, spitting on her body, and threats of physical violence and death.” She also recalled an incident in which Way “became irate” with her while they were in a car, claiming he grabbed her and pushed her out of the vehicle. Her suit alleged that the 34-year-old punched her in the head “on at least ten separate occasions” and that, on numerous occasions, he would inappropriately touch her, “forcefully pull her pants off” and rape her.

As for the part that the LA jury did not rule in her favor on, Jane Doe’s suit claimed that, at one point, she had tried to quit her job with Way and end their relationship, resulting in the Grammy-nominated rapper locking her in a room for three days.

After the trial, Way told reporters he was “deeply disappointed” with the verdict, which he said was “not based on facts or substantial evidence,” Court House News reported. 

“I want to make it clear that I’m innocent,” he said in a statement, which he read from his smartphone outside the courthouse. “I am committed to filing an appeal and fighting for the truth to be revealed.”

Soulja also objected to Jane Doe being allowed to remain anonymous throughout the proceedings. 

“Keeping these individuals anonymous while I’m forced to face public scrutiny creates an unequal playing field,” he said. “I believe this entire process has been tainted by a system that is not designed to protect the rights of the accused.” 

Meanwhile, Jane Doe’s attorney, Neama Rahmani, suggested that her client isn’t the only victim of Way’s who is due for justice.

From CHN:

“Today is just the beginning of justice for Soulja Boy’s victims,” said Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers. Rahmani said his client felt vindicated by the verdict, “because he called her a liar. He said she was never an employee — nothing more than a disgruntled, jealous, lying ex. And I think the jury rejected that argument.”

According to Rahmani, Way made an offer to settle the case right before the trial began for $100,000. 

Jane Doe filed her lawsuit against Soulja Boy in January 2021. Months later, in May 2021, another woman claimed in a lawsuit that he subjected her to “constant abuse” during their romantic relationship, including a miscarriage she suffered after he kicked and punched her while she was pregnant. Rahmani also represents that alleged victim.

Finally, Way was also accused of assault and kidnapping by a former girlfriend who was identified by name, Kayla Myers. According to Billboard, he was ordered to pay her $235,900 in compensatory damages and $236,000 in punitive damages in 2023.