As Mystikal’s lawyers declared his innocence on charges of rape and extortion on Friday (July 19), authorities revealed they confiscated a video of the alleged sexual assaults from the rapper’s Baton Rouge home.
The tape, which has been placed into evidence, allegedly shows Mystikal and two other men, Leland Ellis and Vercy Carter, threatening the rapper’s 40-year-old hair stylist and forcing her to have sex with them, according to Cpl. Mary Ann Godawa, a spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Police Department.
The men allegedly told the woman they would turn her in to authorities for cashing unauthorized checks from the rapper’s bank account if she did not have sex with them.
According to a copy of the arrest warrant obtained on Friday, the woman visited Mystikal’s house on July 3 to braid his hair. Afterwards, he confronted her about the checks and ordered her to “get into the bedroom and take your clothes off.”
The warrant states that Mystikal called his associates to come to his residence while he was engaged in oral sex with the victim. When they arrived, the rapper allegedly ordered Ellis to get his video camera and film him having sex with the woman. After the camera was turned off, Mystikal allegedly sodomized her. The warrant claims that the camera was turned back on to film the woman having sex with both Carter and Ellis, after which she was ordered to leave.
After the woman contacted authorities on July 4, police searched Mystikal’s apartment and detained a video camera and a safe. On July 9, authorities opened the safe and found the videotape.
That same day, detectives were forwarded an affidavit signed by the victim from Mystikal’s attorney, Gary Harvey. In it, the woman stated that she had consensual intercourse with the three men.
On July 10, however, the woman met with detectives and said Harvey misled her to believe “the case had been jeopardized, therefore making her feel compelled to sign the affidavit,” the arrest warrant states. She said she was confused when she signed the affidavit and still wished to pursue the case.
On Friday, Harvey’s co-counsel Michael Guy issued a statement reading, “I am extremely confident that [Mystikal] will be exonerated of all charges that are currently pending against him.” He added that all of the rapper’s scheduled appearances for July and August would go on as planned.
A spokesperson for Jive Records, the rapper’s label, said they would not be issuing a statement with regard to the arrest.
Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, was released Thursday afternoon on $250,000 bond. If convicted on the rape charge, he would face a mandatory life sentence. Extortion carries a prison term of one to 15 years.
Bond has not been set for Ellis or Carter.
The Baton Rouge District Attorney’s office said the rapper’s arraignment will be scheduled in four to six weeks.
