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Nicki Minaj Brother Rejects Plead Deal And Headed To Trial For Child Rape Case

jelani-maraj

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Jelani Maraj, the brother of rapper Nicki Minaj was arrested in 2015 for allegedly raping a minor.  He plead not guilty and his famous sister put two of her homes up as collateral for his release.  Jelani Maraj recently declined a plead deal and the case is headed to court. Check out the full story below and let us know what you think.

Via Bossip

Nicki Minaj’s brother has mounted a last-ditch effort in his child rape case, rejecting a plea deal and opting to have his day in court.

Jelani Maraj will put his fate in a jury’s hands, rebuffing the Nassau County’s District Attorney’s plea deal of 15 years to life for predatory assault of a child, and instead deciding to go to trial.

Maraj trial move comes despite the state having evidence that his semen was found on his accuser’s clothes. The trial also means that his alleged 12-year-old victim may have to face Maraj in court and testify about what happened.

Prosecutors allege that Maraj repeatedly raped and sodomized his tween victim over a period of eight months in 2015, with the last rape occurring the day before his arrest in December 2015. He has pled not guilty, and Nicki Minaj put up two homes as collateral in order to keep her oldest brother out on bail.

Maraj has argued that the girl was indeed having sex, but with other men – not him.

Maraj’s new lawyer, David Schwartz, told BOSSIP that Maraj is innocent and that the truth would prevail.

“He is choosing to go to trial because he is not guilty of these allegations and has faith in our system of justice,” Schwartz told us via email.

Pre-trial hearings will begin in less than two weeks. If convicted, he faces life in state prison.

Jelani seems to have employed a scattershot legal strategy in recent months. He fired his white shoe law firm, Brafman and Associates, in November, hired a private detective and got Schwartz, his new lawyer, who specializes in sex crime cases. Maraj’s rap star sister – who paid for his $30,000 wedding – is believed to also be bankrolling his defense.

A spokesman for the District Attorney declined to comment.

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