T.I., Tiny Accuser’s Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed

T.I. and Tiny‘s accuser just had their lawsuit tossed out in court. Rolling Stone reports that Los Angeles County Judge Michael Shultz dismissed Sabrina Peterson’s lawsuit, which accused both entertainers of defamation. Judge Shultz pointed to Peterson’s failure to pay $96,000 in attorney fees that she owed to the TIP and Tiny as a valid reason for dismissal. It should also be noted that the couple’s estranged friend escaped jail time after being held in contempt of court.

Sabrina Peterson’s lawsuit was tied to her 2021 claims that T.I. and Tiny had damaged her reputation in response to her accusing them of sexual abuse. Other claims listed in the legal doc included intentional trade libel, infliction of emotional distress, and intentional and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage. The married couple fought back against the suit, asserting that Sabrina’s reputation was damaged before they could make a statement about their former friend.

Peterson initially won her lawsuit, but an appellate court reversed the decision. This decision led to TIP and Tiny asking the court to have Sabrina cover the expense of the attorney’s fees, to which a judge obliged in October 2023 and ordered the woman to pay $96,702.

Sabrina was given a 90-day period from the order date to pay the fee. However, Peterson refused to pay the couple and told the judge that she could only pay $1,000 monthly. Instead of setting the woman up with a payment plan, the judge ordered that her upcoming defamation trial would be dismissed. But TIP and Tiny could move to collect their owed money by way of filing a judgment against Peterson — which their attorney, Andrew Brettler, has hinted at.

“It’s been almost two years since she has defied the original court’s order, and almost a year since she defied the second court’s order,” Brettler said in court. “The case should be dismissed, and Ms. Peterson should be held in contempt of court. She has shown nothing but disrespect… She brags about how much money she has online and that she’s never paying this sum to the Harrises. And she has absolutely no respect for the court’s time or its orders.”