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Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Photo Credit: Karwai Tang for Getty Images

Nicki Minaj Finally Responds to Jennifer Hough's Harassment Lawsuit

New documents state that Nicki Minaj failed to respond to the complaint due to an "innocent mistake," she also stated her husband was not properly served.

Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty’s legal woes aren’t over, in fact, they’re ramping up. 

The Internet mainly Twitter has been questioning whether or not Minaj has responded to being served with a lawsuit accusing the couple of harassing and intimidating Jennifer Hough, Petty’s sexual assault victim from 1994. It appears outside of the eye of the public, there has been some movement from Minaj’s team. 

Per Complex, there have been back-and-forth communication between Minaj’s team and Hough’s attorney Tyrone Blackburn. Court documents dated October 15 argue that the failure to respond to the complaint in question in a timely manner was “not willful.” The documents point out that Judd Burstein was recommended to Minaj on September 22. A day later, the two reportedly had a conversation. Minaj noted she believed Burstein would be representing her following this Zoom call. 

Attorney Blackburn filed documents last week laying out that the time Minaj and Petty had to respond to the complaint had expired. He also requested a $20 million default judgment in her witness intimidation case. Blackburn also stated Minaj and Petty have allegedly targeted Hough with “bribery, intimidation, harassment, and stalking” in an attempt to get her to rescind her rape claims against Petty from the 1994 incident.

Even though Petty initially denied the rape charges he was convicted a year later and charged with first-degree rape, he was later convicted of first-degree attempted rape in 1995. He then served nearly four years in New York state prison. It was required for him to register as a sex offender. 

The report states on October 12 Minaj learned her manager “had not understood” she’d approved Burstein to be her lawyer. She also says the two had spoken to hash out the details of his services. 

In the documents Minaj is reported to have said:

“My failure to respond to the complaint was the product of an innocent mistake, and I ask the court to excuse the delay so that I can defend what I believe to be an entirely frivolous case which plaintiff’s counsel has brought against me in an effort to use my name to generate publicity for himself.”

Additionally, Burstein argues that his “client should be able to pursue a motion to dismiss the complaint on multiple grounds” and that she is the “proverbial deep pocket.”

Nicki is also stating in a sworn declaration that the process server hasn’t been truthful, she adds that Petty wasn’t served a copy of the summons and complaint. According to her the process server claims they served the documents to a “Black male, 40 years old, 200 lbs.” who has black hair and brown eyes.

The documents in question explicitly state Minaj describes Petty as “approximately 5’9” tall and weighs no more than 175 pounds.” She also added, “Further, there is no person who resides in our house or who was present there on September 15, 2021, who fits the description contained in the affidavit of service.”

Burstein aims to dismiss the amended complaint.