Note: This article contains references to alleged sexual assault and battery that some readers may find disturbing.
Metro Boomin is being sued by a woman who claims that he raped her in 2016, resulting in the woman’s unwanted, and, ultimately, terminated, pregnancy. The woman, Vanessa LeMaistre, filed her complaint in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County on Tuesday, October 29. Formally, she is suing the musician for battery, sexual battery, and three further violations of California’s civil codes. Metro Boomin, whose legal name is Leland Tyler Wayne, has denied the allegations through his attorney.
In her lawsuit, obtained by Pitchfork, Vanessa LeMaistre says that she met Metro Boomin, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the spring of 2016, not long after the death of her infant son. The two “had several discussions about music and life in general,” leading them to spend time together, over the ensuing months, at Metro Boomin’s recording studio in California. “Ms. LeMaistre grew to feel safe and comfortable in Wayne’s presence and thought of him as a friend,” the complaint reads.
During one studio visit, in September 2016, LeMaistre says “she took half a Xanax, which she used to help get through difficult days and numb the pain, and was given a shot of alcohol.” She says that, after drinking the alcohol, she lost consciousness, and, when she regained consciousness, “she woke up on a bed with Wayne on top of her.” She alleges that she “lost consciousness again and woke up at some point later to Wayne performing oral sex on her.” Due to her incapacitation, she could not give consent for the sex acts, she contends.
A few weeks after the alleged assault, LeMaistre learned that she was pregnant. “Given the recent loss of her son and the traumatic cause of her pregnancy, Ms. LeMaistre knew that she could not continue the pregnancy and maintain any semblance of her declining mental health,” the lawsuit reads. “As a result, Ms. LeMaistre had an abortion in November 2016.”
In a statement shared with Pitchfork, Metro Boomin’s attorney, Lawrence C. Hinkle II, wrote, “This is a pure shakedown. These are false accusations. Mr. Wayne refused to pay her months ago, and he refuses to pay her now. Mr. Wayne will defend himself in court. He will file a claim for malicious prosecution once he prevails.”
LeMaistre’s attorneys—Michael J. Willemin, Monica Hincken, Omar H. Bengali, and Robert J. Girard II—said a statement of their own: “Metro Boomin has built a successful career with lyrics and social media that are not only offensive but also explicitly outline his intentions to harm women. These are more than mere words, and it’s time for him to be held accountable for his manipulative tactics and unacceptable behavior.”
In addition, Michael J. Willemin said, in response to Hinkle’s “shakedown” comment, “Making defamatory remarks is not going to help Metro Boomin’s cause and we look forward to proving Ms. LeMaistre’s claims in court and ultimately before a jury.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
