Kenneth Petty, husband of rapper Nicki Minaj, filed a 1994 handwritten letter in federal court in an effort to dismiss a $20 million civil lawsuit filed against him and his wife by Jennifer Hough. According to legal filings reported by TMZ and Dancehall Mag, Petty asserts that the letter proves his accuser previously stated to the District Attorney’s office that she was not raped.
The 1994 Letter and Court Filings
In the new court documents, Petty submitted a document written decades ago that he claims contradicts the allegations at the core of Hough’s civil action. According to TMZ, the letter was produced as part of the defense’s bid to throw out the $20 million lawsuit. Petty’s legal strategy hinges on presenting this historical correspondence to challenge the consistency of the claims brought against him.
The lawsuit stems from a 1995 attempted rape conviction involving Petty, for which he served prison time, and subsequent allegations by Hough regarding harassment and intimidation by Petty and Minaj after he failed to register as a sex offender in California. Hough’s civil suit alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, harassment, and witness intimidation.
Response from the Plaintiff
Attorneys and representatives for Jennifer Hough immediately pushed back against the introduction of the 1994 letter. According to reports from TMZ, Hough denies that the letter invalidates her claims and maintains that the contents do not reflect the reality of the assault. Hough’s legal team contends that the historical document is an improper attempt to relitigate a criminal matter within the context of a separate civil harassment and intimidation suit.
Federal court rules require judges to evaluate whether such evidence warrants a dismissal or if the case must proceed toward trial. The $20 million civil complaint names both Petty and Minaj as defendants, alleging they engaged in a coordinated campaign to pressure Hough into recanting her story.
Legal Context and Next Steps
The civil litigation has moved through multiple phases in federal court, involving disputes over default judgments, changes in legal representation, and discovery motions. Petty’s latest motion focuses specifically on undermining the credibility of the underlying accusations through the newly produced document.
District court judges will review the admissibility of the 1994 letter and determine whether it meets the standards required to alter the trajectory of the civil suit. No trial date has been finalized as both sides continue to litigate pretrial motions.
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