The woman who claimed she was raped last weekend by Nelly, a Grammy-winning rap artist, isn’t willing to testify against him and wants police to end their probe into the alleged incident, according to her attorney.
Karen Koehler, an attorney for the accuser, published an open letter on her website Friday calling on authorities in Auburn, Washington, to abandon their investigation into Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., the rapper better known as Nelly.
“Today she is telling the Auburn Police Department and the King County Prosecutor’s Office to put a halt to the criminal investigation of Cornell Haynes, Jr. (aka “Nelly”). She will not testify further in a criminal proceeding against him,” the attorney wrote.
The Auburn Police Department arrested Nelly, 42, early last Saturday, Oct. 7, after receiving a 911 call from a woman who said she had been raped on his tour bus. He was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree rape and released several hours later.
Local law enforcement’s subsequent handling of the case and legal threats from the rapper’s attorney have convinced the accuser to call for an end, according to the letter.
“We do not live in a society where a 21-year-old college student can feel safe enough to pursue criminal charges against a celebrity for an alleged rape,” the letter started.
“She wishes she had not called 911 because … she believes the system is going to fail her,” the attorney wrote. “Who will believe her. People are already saying horrible things. She cannot handle this. She is about to break. She wants to close the door. She wants this to end. She just cannot bear it.”
Nelly’s lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, initially called the allegations “completely fabricated,” “devoid of credibility” and “motivated by greed and vindictiveness.”
“Nelly is prepared to address and pursue all legal avenues to redress any damage caused by this clearly false allegation,” he said shortly after the rapper’s arrest.
The accuser “never wanted notoriety,” her attorney responded Friday. “She never wanted a dime from that man.”
“She wants to go back to school and to graduate. And this she cannot do if she remains hidden in her room, crying her heart out,” the letter said.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately return an email seeking comment Saturday.
Nelly’s attorney, meanwhile, said his client wants a public apology from the woman and could still take legal action against her, celebrity gossip site TMZ reported.
The accuser’s “reckless accusation, once investigated thoroughly, was exposed for what it was-a fabrication. A fabrication that has caused Nelly and his family to suffer emotionally and financially,” Mr. Rosenblum told TMZ.
Nelly’s debut album, “Country Grammar,” was released in July 2000 and ultimately sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. alone. He earned his first of two Grammy Awards in 2003 for the song “Hot in Herre,” and released his seventh and most recent studio album in 2013.
The rapper performed the Friday before his arrest at an amphitheater in Auburn, about 35 miles south of Seattle. Police located him on his tour bur parked outside a nearby Walmart store, authorities said previously.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.