Megan Thee Stallion Granted Restraining Order Against Tory Lanez

On Thursday, Megan Thee Stallion (née Megan Pete) was granted a five-year civil harassment restraining order against Tory Lanez (né Daystar Peterson) after she accused him and his legions of fans of harassing her and disseminating misinformation online.

“The problem I have is that the man who shot me is orchestrating other people and paying people and him and his family are helping people put out lies and slander and smear campaigns against me,” Pete testified via video call shown in a Los Angeles courtroom. “I’m scared to do anything because he has orchestrated people to attack me, whether online or it could possibly even be in person.”

Pete filed the restraining order in December, alleging that since Peterson was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting her in July 2020, his supporters have continued to spread misinformation about the assault and the subsequent trial. As a result, she told the court that she suffers from anxiety and remains terrified that he’ll harm her upon release from prison. Lanez is eligible for parole in 2029.

“I’m scared that even when he gets out of jail, he’s going to still be upset with me, and I don’t know if he’s going to continue being violent toward me,” she tearfully explained in the hearing. “Because even from behind bars, he keeps showing me that he can get to me. Like, he won’t give me a day of peace,” she said. “I feel like when he gets out of jail, it’s going to be worse…I feel like maybe he’ll shoot me again, and maybe this time, I won’t make it.”

One piece of misinformation that’s recently circulated due to the actions of Peterson’s camp and addressed at the hearing is that law enforcement didn’t keep the firearm used to shoot at Pete as evidence. His attorneys have claimed that Peterson was deprived of an opportunity to have it tested for DNA. However, law enforcement has since said that the firearm remains in police custody and that Peterson’s lawyers declined to test it independently prior to the trial.

Pete further accused Peterson of “orchestrating” an online smear campaign in which others have been empowered to harass her online. Among them are bloggers and social media commentators like Milagro Cooper, who Pete is suing for defamation, promotion of an altered sexual depiction, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and cyberstalking. Pete’s attorney, Mari Henderson, claimed that Peterson’s father has maintained a “business relationship” with Cooper and that a subpoena revealed he’s made several payments to her. Henderson further alleged that Lanez has a “contraband cellphone” in prison that records show he’s used to discuss Cooper’s case with his attorneys. According to Henderson, Peterson instructed them to represent her against Pete.

“Even from behind bars, he won’t leave me alone. I thought once he went to jail and maybe had a moment to repent or realize what he did was wrong, [it might change], but even from behind bars he’s still showing he’s an angry person,” Pete said.

Meanwhile, Peterson’s attorney, Michael Hayden, said Pete’s petition for a restraining order is an intrusion upon his client’s “free speech,” and “premature” because there’s been “no evidence of current or future substantial harm.” Hayden also insinuated the hearing was irrelevant and reduced it to a “look back on an incident from four and a half years ago with all the transcripts and stirring up all the junk that happened at that particular time.”

Said “junk,” Pete told the court, has traumatized her.

“I haven’t been at peace since I been shot, and I’m just trying to be un-harassed, not only by the person who shot me, but by the people he’s been paying to continue to harass me,” she testified. “I probably won’t ever have my own peace about the situation, but I just really want the harassment from the person who shot me to stop.”

Pete also said that she was in therapy but has been left feeling “hopeless” as a direct result of Peterson’s actions and those of his supporters.

“I tried therapy, but I recently haven’t been because I’ve been feeling kind of hopeless about this whole thing. No matter how many people tell me I have to get past it, it just seems like I have to relive it every day,” Pete said. “I barely leave my house. I leave my house for work. But I’m not good in social situations anymore because I think everybody hates me at this point because of everything that he’s done and said about me after the shooting. I’m just always nervous. I never had anxiety before this. I’m just a nervous wreck all the time.”

Under this order, Peterson is mandated to remain at least 100 yards away from Pete, and refrain from harassing, intimidating or threatening her in any way until at least January 9, 2030. Frankly, there’s not enough legal action Pete could take against Peterson given his breadth of damage.