Louisiana rapper Mystikal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. A judge in Ascension Parish handed down the sentence on June 16. The case stems from a rape that took place at his home in 2022.
Who is Mystikal?
Mystikal rose to national recognition in the 1990s in the US. He is best known for his 2000 hit “Shake Ya A**,” which earned him a Grammy nomination for best rap solo performance. That same year he was also nominated for best rap album for “Tarantula” and best male rap solo performance for “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall).” His real name is Michael Tyler.
Advertisement
The 2022 incident
In 2022, a woman alleged that Tyler sexually assaulted and held her against her will at his home. The survivor claims Tyler took her phone and car keys to prevent her from leaving the property before assaulting her. Following the assault, the rapper allegedly forced her to send him money on CashApp.
Advertisement
Deputies responded to a hospital after receiving a report of a sexual assault. “Once we got there, we talked to the survivor, who had some very visible injuries on her body, and she was very distraught,” said Donovan Jackson, spokesman for the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office. “She talked with us, we interviewed her, and she was able to identify who the suspect was. And in this case, it was Michael Tyler, also known as Mystikal.”
Tyler was arrested in 2022 for first-degree rape and false imprisonment. He has been held without bond at the Ascension Parish Jail since his arrest.
From first-degree to third-degree rape
The original first-degree rape charge carried an automatic life sentence. Tyler pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of third-degree rape under a deal with prosecutors. The plea reduced his potential sentence to a maximum of 20 years.
He filed a motion last Friday to withdraw his plea. He claimed he “did not have sufficient opportunity to fully consider the consequences” before confessing to the crime. The filing stated that he was “under significant emotional distress and felt substantial pressure to make an immediate decision.” He later filed another motion to withdraw his motion to withdraw the guilty plea. The court ultimately proceeded with the original plea.
Survivor speaks in court
The survivor appeared before the court on the day of sentencing. She described how Mystikal punched her, choked her, pulled braids out of her hair and forcibly raped her. She asked the judge to hand down the maximum sentence.
After the survivor spoke, Mystikal stood up and told the courtroom, “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”
The maximum sentence under the third-degree rape charge was 25 years. The judge sentenced him to 20 years.
A history of sexual assault convictions
This is not the first time Mystikal has faced criminal charges of this nature.
In 2004, Mystikal was convicted of sexual battery and extortion of his hairstylist. He served six years behind bars and was released in 2010. In that case, Tyler and two bodyguards had videotaped themselves in sex acts with his hairstylist. The woman told investigators that Tyler accused her of stealing $80,000 worth of his checks and told her he would not go to police if she did something “degrading.”
In 2016, he was charged with kidnapping and sexual assault. That case was later dropped.
Tyler is a lifetime registered sex offender, following his 2003 conviction for sexual battery.
Also Read: Nepal cancels Pranit More show after Rs 370 biryani remark draws legal action and public fury in India
Advertisement
