LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rapper Tory Lanez has initiated a lawsuit against the California prison system, claiming that it was improper for him to be housed with an inmate who allegedly attacked him, leading to serious injuries. Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, filed the federal lawsuit on Tuesday seeking a staggering $100 million in damages against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as the warden and guards at the Tehachapi prison where the incident occurred.
The lawsuit details a violent attack that took place on May 12, 2025, during which Lanez was allegedly stabbed 16 times in various parts of his body, including the back, torso, head, and face, by inmate Santino Casio. Casio reportedly used a homemade weapon, or "shank," and the attack left Lanez with a collapsed lung, necessitating his airlift to a hospital for emergency treatment.
At 33 years old, Lanez is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence following his conviction for shooting hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during a high-profile trial that concluded in 2022. The lawsuit asserts that prison officials should have been aware of the risks associated with housing Lanez, a high-profile celebrity, alongside an inmate like Casio, who is serving a life sentence for serious crimes, including second-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder.
According to the legal filings, Casio's criminal history includes a 2008 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon and another in 2018 for the manufacturing of a deadly weapon. The suit claims that the choice to house Casio with Lanez represented a dangerous decision, and it criticizes the correctional officers for their slow response to the attack. The lawsuit further contends that no special measures, such as the use of flash grenades or smoke bombs, were employed to mitigate the threat posed by Casio during the assault, which Lanez describes as an "unprovoked life-threatening attack."
As of now, there appears to be no record of Casio facing charges in connection to the assault on Lanez. An attorney who previously represented Casio has not responded to inquiries for comments regarding the situation. Following the attack, Lanez was transferred to another prison—the California Men’s Colony located in San Luis Obispo County.
In addition to the physical assault claims, the lawsuit also addresses what it describes as unlawful seizure of Lanez's songbooks containing unpublished lyrics, which holds significant future commercial value. Lanez argues that the prison officials have refused to return these materials to him.
In response to media inquiries about the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections, Ike Dodson, stated that the agency does not comment on pending litigation. The details of Lanez's lawsuit were first reported by TMZ.
Tory Lanez was previously convicted of three felonies in December 2022, which include assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possessing a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. His appeal for the conviction was rejected by a California court in November.
The background of the case shows that Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, testified during the trial that in July 2020, after leaving a party at Kylie Jenner's home in Hollywood Hills, Lanez fired shots at her feet while instructing her to dance. She later underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments from both feet. It was not until months after the incident that she publicly named Lanez as the assailant.
Lanez, originally from Canada, began his music career by releasing mixtapes in 2009. He quickly gained popularity, leading to two major label albums that made it into the top 10 of Billboard's charts.
