A request by Soulja Boy’s attorney to be relieved from representing the rapper in a lawsuit because of unpaid legal bills was granted Friday by a judge who reminded the rapper that the scheduled mid-February start of the jury trial will stand.
Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein issued his rulings in the case brought by plaintiff Kayla Christine Myers, who alleges the rapper yelled profanities, kicked her, stomped on her stomach and bashed her head with a large gun during a party she attended at his Malibu home on Feb. 1, 2019.
Soulja Boy’s real name is DeAndre Cortez Way. His attorney, Thomas P. Bleau, filed court papers Jan. 25 asking to be excused from further representing the rapper, saying he “has failed and continues to fail to cooperate with counsel for his defense and has failed and continues to fail to pay any portion of his outstanding and substantial attorneys’ fees, and costs after multiple requests to do so.”
Bleau also requested that the start of trial be delayed for at least three months so Soulja Boy can find a new lawyer, but the judge had already decided before Friday’s hearing that the trial will move forward in mid-February as scheduled.
“Defendant is reminded that the matter is set for final status conference on Feb. 6 and trial on Feb. 14,” according to a minute order from Friday’s session prepared by the judge’s clerk.
The minute order further indicated that in the event the court is engaged in another case on Feb. 14, trial of Myers’ lawsuit will be delayed only for a short time.
Myers alleges Soulja Boy held the gun to her head and told her she was going to die that night and she would not make it home. Myers further maintains Soulja Boy then instructed an assistant to take the plaintiff inside the garage and tie her up with duct tape, and that she was later dragged by her hair inside the house and forced to take two showers before she was led into the garage.
Myers further maintains in the suit brought in January 2020 that she was left inside the garage for four hours while the female assistant and another man watched over her.
According to Myers, she was eventually allowed to leave and was hospitalized with three fractured ribs and a facial contusion. Soulja Boy has denied assaulting Myers or any other wrongdoing and alleges she was the aggressor in the confrontation with the singer’s assistant.