Nicki Minaj’s Husband Kenneth Petty Sues New York For ‘Unlawfully’ Registering Him As A Sex Offender
Nicki Minaj’s Husband Kenneth Petty Sues New York For ‘Unlawfully’ Registering Him As A Sex Offender
Kenneth Petty is attempting to regain control of the narrative surrounding his criminal status.
The husband of superstar rap artist Nicki Minaj has reportedly filed legal documents against the state of New York for allegedly unlawfully adding him to their sex offender registry. According to reports, the 44-year-old Queens native is arguing that the state didn’t properly notify him of a 2004 legislation that required him to be added to the registry. However, the state is reportedly seeking to have the case dismissed.
As we reported back in 2018, Petty was charged and convicted of attempted rape in 1995. According to his Grammy-nominated wife, Petty was 15 and the alleged assault victim was 16 at the time. However, the incident still resulted in him receiving a felony, and forced him to register as a level 2 sex offender in the state of New York.
Now, Petty is claiming he was never actually notified of the 2004 Sex Offender Registration Act hearing that is causing him to remain a registered sex offender. Prosecutors reportedly denied the claim, stating:
“The court-certified transcript of this hearing… is both an official judicial record and integral to Plaintiff’s complaint… Plaintiff acknowledged his identity on the record, and his counsel stated that Plaintiff did not contest his designation as a level 2 sex offender.”
Petty reportedly rebutted, claiming his signature on the documents was forged as he was incarcerated during said time. However, the defense stated that it’s not uncommon for inmates to be brought from jail to necessary court hearings and called Petty’s forgery claims “absurd.” They stated:
“Plaintiff’s counsel’s implication that this official judicial transcript is a forgery… is nothing short of absurd. As the Court is well aware, incarcerated individuals are constantly being brought to court from prison… The state courts similarly routinely require the production of incarcerated individuals for court appearances, such as the SORA hearing at issue.”
The state reportedly requested the entire case be dismissed, arguing that Petty has had plenty of time to appeal the sex offender registry. Reportedly, the legal doc read:
“Although Plaintiff admits to his felony conviction for Attempted Rape in the First Degree in State Court he still alleges that he was unaware of his sex offender status and his risk level redetermination until he was arrested in March 2020 out-of-state for failure to register [as a sex offender]…From 2013 through March 2020, [he] alleges he was unaware of the collateral consequences of his felony sex crime conviction….The SORA hearing transcript demonstrates that Plaintiff is fourteen years late in pursuing this lawsuit.”
A court date for oral arguments in front of a court judge has reportedly been set for January 6th, 2023. Earlier this year, Petty was placed on probation and house arrest for failing to register as a sex offender in the state of California. It’s unclear if the current suit will have an effect on his probation status at this time.
[VIA]
Do you think Petty is too late with his suit against New York? Tell us in the comments section!