A California superior court judge granted Megan Thee Stallion’s request to place a five-year restraining order on rapper Tory Lanez. Judge Richard Bloom of the Superior Court of California, where she pleaded emotionally for protection for herself and others due to her fear once Lanez gets out of prison, issued an order that becomes effective until January 9, 2030. The judge ruled that, first and foremost, Megan should not be harmed-the very important tenet of protecting her safety remains well in evidence throughout the aftermath of this 2020 shooting incident.
The restraining order is connected to a violent incident in July 2020, where Lanez, legally known as Daystar Peterson, shot Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during an argument. According to court testimony, Lanez allegedly yelled, “Dance, b****!” before firing the shots. Megan suffered injuries that needed medical attention. Lanez was convicted in 2022 on three felony counts over the shooting and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2023.
Megan, real name Megan Pete, testified by video in the hearing over the restraining order about lasting trauma from the incident in 2020. With tears in her eyes, she made it clear that she feared he could harm her again. “I feel like maybe he’ll shoot me again, and maybe this time I won’t make it,” she said. Megan added that the psychological toll of continued harassment is overwhelming, as she explained, “I haven’t been at peace since I was shot. I’m just tired of being harassed.” She showed up and painted a vivid picture of the distress and danger she continues to feel.
Judge Bloom made a note of the fact that Megan faces a credible threat, referring to the “significant ripple effect” the original violent act caused. He added that Lanez’s actions “served no lawful purpose,” and Megan harbors a credible fear of future violence. The restraining order bars Lanez from any form of contact or harassment toward Megan, either directly or indirectly, hence legally protecting her for safety and mental health.
Megan’s lawyers also introduced evidence of Lanez’s alleged harassment campaigns from behind bars. He was accused of running smear campaigns by paying bloggers and social media influencers to publish fake information that will destroy Megan’s credibility. The posts were said to have been so successful to the extent that a viral post once misstated, “appeals court had ruled Lanez innocent“. Megan’s legal team further identified prison calls which Lanez supposedly arranged to pay several people including Milagro Gramz, YouTuber for bumping up the defamatory content against her.
Lanez’s attorney, Michael Hayden, opposed the restraining order, claiming it was an infringement on his client’s free speech rights. He said Megan was misinterpreting the independent actions of internet bloggers and denied any ongoing threats from Lanez. “This is about an attempt to silence opinions she disagrees with,” Hayden said. Despite such objections, the court ruled in Megan’s favor, finding sufficient evidence to justify the protective order.
