Photo: Paras Griffin / Getty Images
An attorney is seeking a criminal investigation into TI and Tiny Harris on behalf of 11 new victims who accuse the couple of sexual assault, abuse and intoxication, along with facilitating abuse among other members of their circle. The new allegations come after dozens of alleged victims first accused the couple of sexual abuse and assault at the end of January. Tyrone A. Blackburn, a lawyer in New York, sent letters to state prosecutors and state attorneys in Georgia and California on Feb. 19 to investigate, Vulture confirmed. The New York Times first reported the letters, and Blackburn told the newspaper he was receiving confirmation that the letters had been delivered. A TI lawyer, born Clifford Harris, and Tiny, aka Tameka Harris, told Vulture the couple strongly deny these unfounded and unfounded allegations.
The letters, obtained by Vulture, contained a similar incident of sexual abuse, forced seizure of illegal drugs, kidnapping, terrorist threats and false imprisonment, “as Blackburn describes. One of the victims claims she was a 17-year-old intern was in TI and Tiny’s studio when Tiny offered her alcohol and pills in the summer of 2006. According to Blackburn’s letter, she eventually disappeared into a bedroom and woke up the next morning. in her anus’ and is given a morning pill by one of Tiny’s co-workers.Another woman, a veteran of the Air Force, claims that she got a drink at a club through Tiny and later with the couple after was taken to a hotel room. She eventually felt sick, after having only two drinks, and vomited. According to Blackburn, TI “tried to put his foot in her vagina” against her consent before she died. She woke up naked “with a very sore vagina. “Another victim, a former friend of Tiny’s, claims she was forced to take drugs by TI and ‘personally saw women complain that they were abducted and kept together for days,’ according to Blackburn. The other allegations set out in the letter include drug and violence threats, along with sexual assault by associates of TI and Tiny.
The Times said it confirmed five victims’ reports through interviews with victims and other witnesses. A friend of the veteran told the Times that in the days after the incident she described that she was intoxicated and a sexual act that was not without consent. The mother of Tiny’s ex-girlfriend also told the Times that her daughter told her about the intoxicating and sexual assaults by TI and Tiny.
Blackburn has the Times none of the victims he represented had previously shared their stories on social media. Sabrina Peterson, who accused TI of once holding her with a gun, earlier shared messages on Instagram of victims claiming to have been sexually assaulted, abused and intoxicated by TI and Tiny. At the time, a spokesman for the couple told Vulture: ‘Mr. and Mrs. Harris wants to be on record and more importantly wants the public to know that they are in the strongest possible denial that Sabrina Peterson is making the very horrible allegations against them. “The statement further threatened legal action. Following the allegations, MTV interrupted production in the couple’s reality series. TI & Tiny: friends and family chasing.
Blackburn also represents Peterson, and his office said in a statement that it would file a defamation suit against TI and Tiny on March 1, along with Shekinah Anderson, in California. Anderson, who appeared on the couple’s MTV show as Shekinah Jo, said earlier in an Instagram Live that Peterson “recruited women” for TI and Tiny; she has since taken back the allegation on a subsequent Instagram Live.
The Blackburn letter said victims and witnesses were ‘willing to talk to investigators and prosecutors’, and he added the Times that many would like to prosecute criminal charges. Steve Sadow, the lawyer for TI and Tiny, further told Vulture: “We are confident that if these claims are thoroughly and fairly investigated, there will be no charges.”