Tory Lanez Files $100 Million Federal Lawsuit Against California Prison Officials
The incarcerated rapper Tory Lanez, legally named Daystar Peterson, has initiated a federal lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages from California corrections officials. This legal action follows a violent incident where Peterson was stabbed approximately sixteen times by a fellow inmate while serving his ten-year sentence for the shooting of hip-hop artist Megan Thee Stallion.
Details of the Violent Assault in Prison
According to court documents, the assault occurred on May 12, 2025, at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. Peterson alleges he was attacked with a homemade shank, sustaining stab wounds to his face, head, torso, and back. The injuries resulted in permanent scarring and two collapsed lungs, necessitating emergency medical intervention.
Peterson was airlifted to a hospital and placed on a ventilator. After his discharge, he was transferred to the California Men's Colony, a different state prison facility. The lawsuit claims that prison officials knowingly housed him with an inmate who had a documented history of violence, violating standard correctional protocols for risk assessment and inmate separation.
Allegations of Deliberate Indifference and Negligence
Peterson's legal filing asserts that the choice to house him alongside the attacker "should have been a known danger" due to the inmate's criminal background and previous violent acts behind bars. Furthermore, Peterson alleges that prison staff were not immediately present during the attack, and the delayed response allowed the assault to proceed fully.
The lawsuit argues that evidence demonstrates "deliberate indifference to foreseeable violence" on the part of correctional authorities. This incident occurred at a facility where high-security sections had been placed under restricted movement programs in March 2025 due to a surge in violence against both staff and incarcerated individuals.
Additional Claims Regarding Intellectual Property
Beyond the physical assault, Peterson claims that prison officials illegally seized books containing original, unpublished lyrics while he was hospitalized. He describes these materials as having "substantial commercial value" and is demanding their immediate return as part of the lawsuit.
In a grievance letter submitted in June 2025, Peterson elaborated on his concerns, stating that staff "have constantly used various tactics to exploit me." He emphasized his status as an "A-list celebrity" and suggested that the attack might have been part of a plot to steal his intellectual property, which he claims is worth millions of dollars.
Background: The Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case
Peterson's incarceration stems from his December 2022 conviction on three felonies related to the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion (legal name Megan Pete) more than two years prior. The charges included assault with a semi-automatic firearm, possessing a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence, carrying a maximum potential sentence of 22 years.
During the trial, Pete testified that Peterson shot at the back of her feet with a handgun and yelled at her to dance as she walked away from a vehicle following a party at Kylie Jenner's Hollywood Hills residence. Pete required surgery to remove bullet fragments from her feet. A California court rejected Peterson's appeal in November 2024, according to the Associated Press.
Official Responses and Media Coverage
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation declined to comment on the pending litigation, stating in an email: "CDCR does not comment on pending litigation." Peterson's civil attorney has not immediately responded to requests for comment from media outlets.
TMZ first reported on the lawsuit, with the Associated Press providing additional coverage. The case highlights ongoing concerns about prison safety and the treatment of high-profile inmates within the correctional system.
