New Orleans rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, faces life in prison after being indicted on a first-degree rape charge in Louisiana. He also faces nine other criminal counts.
His attorney, Tiffany Myles Crosby, filed a request for a gag order in the case. The move marks a sharp reversal from the approach of his previous defense attorneys.
The Case
Rapper Mystikal, aka Michael Lawrence Tyler, is in the news again after being indicted on a number of charges including first-degree rape. He also faces a slew of lesser offenses, including robbery, false imprisonment and several drug-related crimes.
The multiplatinum juggernaut has been in jail without bond since July when the alleged incident occurred. His new legal team has presented multiple motions — and plenty of forensic evidence — to a judge in Gonzales, Louisiana.
One of the first moves from his new team was a request for a gag order in the case, which would bar attorneys from discussing the case to any media outlet. The move was the brainchild of Mystikal’s newly hired lawyer, Tiffany Myles Crosby, who previously represented the rapper in a previous rape case that was thrown out before trial last year.
Prosecutors
Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury on a first-degree rape charge. He faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted.
Prosecutors want a gag order to prevent anyone involved in the case from discussing it with members of the media. A gag order is typically a tool for limiting public attention on cases that may have a significant impact on the victim or the defendant.
The motion filed Thursday was one of the first acts of Mystikal’s new defense attorney, Tiffany Myles Crosby. The rapper recently dropped his longtime defense attorneys, Joel Pearce and Timothy Yazbeck, who represented him in a past rape case that was dismissed before trial in December 2020.
A gag order would prohibit attorneys on both sides from commenting on the latest case to “any individual or entity,” including radio, television or newspaper reporters. It also applies to any potential witnesses or law enforcement officials who have information about the case.
Defense
Attorneys for rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, have asked a judge to impose a gag order on him and those involved in his rape case. The request, filed Thursday (March 16) in Ascension Parish court, comes after the rapper ditched his former defense attorneys — Joel Pearce and Timothy Yazbeck — who successfully represented him against an earlier rape charge.
The defense says the gag order is needed to protect both Mystikal and his family from being harmed by the media’s coverage of the case. Specifically, the attorneys argue, it’s important to prevent people in the public eye from leaking information about the case that might be prejudicial to Mystikal’s future.
On the other hand, attorneys for his accuser say the gag order would be unconstitutional because it violates her rights and those of other people in the public eye. In addition, the attorneys argue, she would be left with no means of speaking about her ordeal in a public forum, which she contends could lead to other crimes against her.
Judge
New Orleans-based rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, has been indicted on a charge of first-degree rape from an alleged incident that occurred at his Louisiana home in July. If convicted, he will face a life sentence under state law.
His attorneys asked for a gag order in the case. They argued that the media was spreading rumors about the rapper and that it was damaging his reputation.
But a lawyer for the District Attorney said that it’s unlikely he could refuse the request. He said it would create a conflict of interest for the prosecutor, who has been working with Mystikal since 2017.
Mystikal’s lawyers have also argued that a judge would be biased in this case. They have argued that Mystikal committed the sexual battery in front of a video camera, which makes it hard for the judge to be objective.
