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Rapper T.I. and Wife Tiny Accused by Ex-Friend of Using Same ‘Desperate’ Tactic as Diddy in Court
Rapper T.I. and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, were accused by their former friend Sabrina Peterson of using the courtroom “as a stage for media spectacle,” In Touch can exclusively report.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Sabrina, pleaded with the court to shut down T.I., 45, and Tiny’s request for her lawsuit against them to be thrown out.
Sabrina sued the couple in 2021 for defamation and several other claims. She accused the two of ruining her reputation after she publicly accused T.I. of holding a gun to her head and making threats.
T.I. and Tiny, 49, denied the accusations and were able to convince the court to dismiss most of Sabrina’s claims. They were awarded $96,702 in legal fees in October 2023 for the work done defending themselves against the dismissed claims.
The defamation claim has not been dismissed.
As In Touch first reported, the famous couple recently demanded Sabrina’s entire case be thrown out due to her not paying the five-figure judgment within 90 days, as ordered by the court.
They argued the lawsuit could not move forward until the debt was paid. T.I. and Tiny’s powerhouse lawyer, Andrew Brettler, said, “For nearly a year, [Sabrina] has evaded statutory sanctions with consequence. She has willfully violated a court order. And, while wasting judicial resources, she forced [T.I. and Tiny] to incur significant legal fees defending a litany of claims, most have which have already been thrown out.”
He added, “In the three-and-a-half years since filing her frivolous lawsuit, [Sabrina] and her counsel have failed to do anything in the case.” Now, in response, Sabrina asked that T.I. and Tiny’s motion be denied.
Her lawyer said, “The Motion cites established law confirming that monetary sanctions are enforceable through the execution of judgment laws. Yet, despite these clear legal principles, the Harris Defendants proceed to request the Court’s intervention to enforce an order that is already enforceable under the law. Regardless of their celebrity status, the Harris Defendants must follow the law like any other party and cannot ask the judiciary to do what the legislature has already empowered them to do.”
Sabrina said there was no legal basis for the case be dismissed due to legal fees being owed.
Her lawyer added, “This Motion should never have been filed. It is nothing more than a blatant grab for media attention — a desperate stunt to distract from the real issues at hand. It’s a common tactic we’ve seen used before by high-profile figures like Harvey Weinstein and Sean “Diddy” Combs, who sexually traffic women and then weaponize the press to shame and humiliate their victims, hoping to bury the truth under scandal and manipulation.” Diddy and Harvey denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
Sabrina’s lawyer continued, “[T.I. and Tiny] are no different. They shame their victims (like Ms. Peterson) in the press, and Ms. Peterson has suffered an onslaught of online hate as a result of the recent press coverage on the Motion.”
The lawyer ended, “But [Sabrina] is strong and her truth will prevail in a court of law before a jury of her peers, not in the court of public opinion as [T.I. an Tiny] (like all of their other high-profile associates accused of wrongdoing) aim to manipulate.” Sabrina asked that her case continue on.
Her lawyer said, “This case should be decided in the courtroom. Not the public. [T.I. and Tiny’s] motion is a transparent attempt to divert attention from their own shortcomings and wrongdoings, using the courtroom as a stage for media spectacle. This is a common strategy employed by powerful individuals seeking to evade accountability.”
In her lawsuit, Sabrina also claimed the two were upset when she made claims that the famous couple allegedly abused women over the years. Sabrina claimed T.I. and Tiny harassed her online and caused her to receive threats from third parties.
Tiny posted a photo of Sabrina’s son with T.I. captioned, “Hold up …. So you want your abuser to train your son … now when did you say my husband assaulted you? Did you change your mind or change it back? What’s up wit you today Pooh? I’m confused. Stop harassing my family. You strange. Everybody know you been special. Please Get help.”
T.I. and Tiny denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
Their lawyer called Sabrina “an adjudged liar, a convicted felon with a lengthy rap sheet for crimes involving dishonesty and violent assault and has a reputation for being unscrupulous.” The duo denied they had defamed Sabrina. A judge has yet to rule.
As they deal with the drama with Sabrina, T.I. and Tiny scored a victory in a separate legal battle.
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