Last year, Metro Boomin was sued by a woman who claimed that the hip-hop producer raped her in 2016. The case went to trial this week, and a Los Angeles jury has now found that Metro Boomin is not liable on the four causes of action against him, according to Rolling Stone.
“I’m grateful and thankful to God that I can finally put all of this nonsense behind me,” Metro Boomin said in a statement shared with Pitchfork. “‘Metro Boomin’ is more than a stage name or family friendly brand but a superhero in the eyes of many children and adults around the world. I’m sure I don’t have to put into anymore words on how devastating these false claims must have been to many.”
He continued, “I legally adopted my youngest brother and sister and am active in their lives and at their schools so just imagine what they have been through in a time where almost any kid from the age 9 and up has access to a smart phone or tablet. I’m disappointed in not only the plaintiff but the janky lawyers who made the conscious decision to take on this suit, even though it was evident long ago that these claims had no legs or merit and would not end up going anywhere.” Read the full statement below.
The woman who filed the complaint is named Vanessa LeMaistre, and she sued Metro Boomin for battery, sexual battery, and multiple violations of California’s civil codes. In court, she testified that she decided to file the lawsuit after a therapy session involving ayahuasca in Peru in 2024. “I recall being instructed from the medicine that this is the root of your issues for the past 10 years, this incident with the defendant,” LeMaistre said, according to reporter Meghann Cuniff. “This is the root of continual trauma and pain and suffering, and that I needed to address this, seek justice and contact lawyers.”
Metro Boomin vehemently denied in court that he sexually assaulted LeMaistre, and he claimed that his sexual encounters with her were consensual. “For someone to come out of the blue with something like this, someone I haven’t seen in, like, a decade, like, it’s beyond insulting,” he testified, according to Meghann Cuniff.
When reached by Pitchfork, Michael J. Willemin, an attorney for LeMaistre said, “Though the legal system is often stacked against survivors, our client showed unwavering fortitude throughout this trial. We are disappointed in the outcome, but are proud to represent Ms. LeMaistre and believe that the verdict will ultimately be overturned on appeal.”
