T.I. and his wife Tiny Harris will not be facing any charges connected to a Los Angeles lawsuit in which a woman accused the musical celebrity couple of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2005 because the statute of limitations in the case has expired.
According to court documents obtained by People, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to move forward with the case against the pair, following a 10-year limit period. “Without the strength and weaknesses of the evidence being evaluated, the case is declined due to the expiration of the Statute of Limitations,” the document stated.
The couple’s lawyer Shawn Holley told the outlet in a statement on Thursday, Sept. 18, that the two were “pleased, but not surprised, by the district attorney’s decision to dismiss these meritless allegations.”
He added, “We appreciate the DA’s careful review of the case and are grateful to be able to put the matter behind us and move on.”
Earlier this year, a woman, whose identity has not been made public, accused the pair of abusing her after she met them at the club. Her lawyer, Tyrone A. Blackburn, claims his client was given a beverage by the former Xscape member and that later in the night she became lightheaded and dizzy while staying in the couple’s hotel room. The woman says she was assaulted shortly after.
T.I. and Tiny, whose real names are Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. and Tameka Dianne Cottle, have both maintained their innocence, denying all allegations brought before them.
Yet, Blackburn said in a statement that “the decision by the L.A. prosecutor does not vindicate Clifford Harris or Tiny Harris from the acts of raping and drugging Jane Doe.” He added, “It only amplifies the need to do away with the statute of limitations for sex crimes.”
Blackburn is just one of many lawyers representing over a dozen women who have accused the Harrises of some form of misconduct, some of which include drugging and exploitation.
The flood of allegations began earlier this year after a former associate, Sabrina Peterson, accused the “Big Ol Drip” rapper of having held a gun to her head at a children’s party in 2009. The pair later filed a motion to dismiss the defamation lawsuit brought on by Peterson.
However, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Sotelo denied a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation motion, citing Peterson had shown a “probability of prevailing” on her claim that also included another party, Shekinah Jo Anderson.
