Mystikal held without bond on rape charge
Rapper Mystikal was arrested on rape and domestic abuse charges and jailed in Louisiana on 31 July, it has emerged.
His arrest comes over a year after prosecutors dropped charges that had kept Mystikal jailed for 18 months in another part of the state.
This is the third time since 2003 that Michael “Mystikal” Tyler has been arrested and charged with a sex crime, including sexual battery and rape.
As per the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, which released a media statement on Monday (1 August), deputies “responded to an area hospital in reference to a sexual assault” on 30 July.
The statement, posted on Facebook, continued: “Detectives interviewed the victim who sustained minor injuries during the attack. Through further investigation, Michael ‘Mystikal’ Tyler was identified as a suspect.
“He was arrested and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail,” the statement read, with charges against Mystikal including first-degree rape, robbery, domestic abuse battery, and simple criminal damage to property.
According to the Associated Press, and citing the sheriff’s office inmate lookup, the 51-year-old hip-hop artist is being held without bond on 10 charges.
Attorney Joel Pearce, who represented Mystikal on sexual assault charges brought against him in 2017, told the Associated Press he believes the bond will be discussed at a hearing on Tuesday (2 August).
Pearce also told the publication he will make a statement after he meets with Mystikal later this week.
Mystikal was arrested for rape and kidnapping in August 2017 and was released on a $3m bond in February 2019.
The charges against him were eventually dropped in December 2020 after new evidence was presented to a grand jury and it did not bring a new indictment.
In a 2021 interview with the Associated Press, and reflecting on the “bad dream” of the charges against him, Mystikal said he wants to make changes to his career – and life.
“When I look back and listen to the music, man – I was a nasty lil’ rapper!” he said, adding, “A lot of my music now, I imagine myself rapping it to God and if I can rap it, I’m proud.”
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here.
