'Deeply disturbing': Jeezy denies Jeannie Mai's child neglect, domestic violence accusations
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Jeannie Mai and Jeezy's ongoing custody battle and divorce is growing even more contentious as new legal documents reveal allegations of domestic violence, verbal abuse and child neglect by Mai against the "Put On" rapper.
In a response filed Thursday in Georgia's Fulton County Superior Court, the former "The Real" talk show personality unleashed a slew of allegations against her husband of two years, challenging his "ability to appropriately parent a small child." The former couple, who separated in September 2023, are in a heated custody battle over their 2-year-old daughter, Monaco.
Mai's 117-page response, reviewed by The Times, details three incidents in 2022 wherein Jeezy allegedly verbally and physically assaulted Mai. Court documents accuse the rapper of "not properly monitoring" baby Monaco during his parenting time and of keeping firearms and bullets in "unsecured locations" in his Atlanta home.
Read more: Jeezy wants more than Jeannie Mai divorce: primary custody over 2-year-old daughter
"The allegations are not only false, but also deeply disturbing, especially coming from someone I loved," the 46-year-old rapper (real name Jay Wayne Jenkins) said in a statement shared with The Times. "This malicious attempt to tarnish my character and disrupt my family is ridiculous."
The statement continued: "It's disheartening to witness the manipulation and deceit at play and at this time my main concern is being an active father to our daughter as I continue to fight for court mandated joint custody. Rest assured, the truth will prevail through the proper legal channels."
The rapper, also known as the Snowman, shared a photo of the statement to his Instagram page on Thursday. "Yall know me. #Integrity," he captioned his post.
Jeezy and Mai married in March 2021 and welcomed their first child together later that year. In the months that followed Monaco's birth, Mai touted the family she and Jeezy had started on social media. But those public glimpses into seaside family vacations and holiday festivities came amid incidents of alleged verbal and physical abuse, according to court documents.
Read more: 'Gatekeeper' who? Jeannie Mai rejects Jeezy's claims, worries about alleged firearms
The couple allegedly engaged in an argument on Jan. 18, 2022, when they were in a parked car in Miami. Jeezy allegedly hurled insults at his then-wife and threatened divorce. Mai also said Jeezy kept her inside the vehicle "against her will" and "struck [her] with a closed fist across her cheekbone and eye, causing a subconjunctival hemorrhage," or broken blood vessel in the eye, when she tried to leave the car.
Mai also detailed another dispute months later, in April 2022, when the couple stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. She alleged that Jeezy "choked [her] from behind" as she was going up a stairwell, pushed her down the stairs and hurled expletives at her, allegedly repeating, "I can do so much better than you." According to a hotel report included in Mai's response, hotel security intervened in the couple's dispute and Mai said at the time that she "felt unsafe" in her husband's presence.
The third alleged incident occurred amid the UNCF 39th Atlanta Mayor's Masked Ball in December 2022, where Jeezy allegedly "became enraged" when he didn't know his wife's whereabouts and abruptly demanded that they leave the event, court documents said. Mai alleged that the rapper, after asking the driver to leave the car, "grabbed [her] by the neckline of her dress" after she tried to leave the vehicle twice. Her dress was allegedly torn during the exchange and she received "multiple 2 to 3 inch scratches across her right breast due to [Jeezy's] fingernails," the legal documents said. Mai said she informed a therapist about the incident with Jeezy present, and told a friend in confidence.
Read more: Jeezy speaks out on divorce, says decision to leave Jeannie Mai 'was not made impulsively'
"[Jeezy] has a history of threats, violence, and bodily harm," court documents said. "[Mai] mistakenly believed [Jeezy] when he convinced her prior to their marriage that he was a changed man, and his past was in his past, but as one can see from the examples of abuse [Mai] endured during the marriage that has not turned out to be the case."
Mai's response also sparked renewed concern over Jeezy's firearms and alleged lack of safekeeping, which has caused tension in their temporary co-parenting arrangement. Denying the rapper's previous claims he has "always made sure that his firearms are secured and safely away," Mai alleged that her estranged ex-husband "frequently" walks around his Atlanta home with an AK-47 in hand and leaves bullets, "an obvious choking hazard," lying around his home "unsecured."
Photos included in Mai's response show the rapper walking down a stairwell in his home with a firearm. Mai also said she turned over a handgun she discovered in their Los Angeles home to police before she and Monaco moved to Boston earlier this month for work.
In a motion to vacate their mediated agreement filed earlier this month, Jeezy claimed that their child would have "stability" if he was granted "primary physical custody." Mai countered the "All There" rapper's claim with accusations of child neglect. Mai alleges Jeezy left their child unattended on multiple occasions, including during a December 2023 visit when she learned that Monaco "had been locked in her room overnight," which allegedly resulted in a "health-related toxic and biohazardous situation."
Mai also alleged that Jeezy refused to keep Monaco on his health insurance policy, despite her requests.
"For [Jeezy] to now try [to] create a false narrative wherein he attempts to villainize the mother of his child because he didn't do what he agreed to do to effectuate his parenting time with his daughter is disingenuous," she said in her response.
Mai's filing cited her estranged husband's 2014 arrest, detailed his alleged drinking habits and drunk driving accidents, and accused him of domestic violence toward his eldest son. Mai also included proof of email correspondences between the spouses' respective attorneys, photos of Mai's bruised limbs after an alleged golf cart crash, and text-message exchanges allegedly between the former couple.
"Babbbby...I. have a lot of dresses to wear this week," reads a message from Mai. She sent several photos of her injuries from the alleged golf art accident to the "Adversity for Sale" author.
Read more: Jeannie Mai says she's been taking a break after Jeezy split to 'disconnect' and 'heal'
"I'm so sorry babe. Haven't forgiven myself fo puttin you indanger [sic]. I've been un easy and sad about it," Jeezy allegedly said, according to the screenshot.
In Thursday's filing, Mai responded to Jeezy's most recent allegations about their daughter's whereabouts and the care that she has received under her mother. Mai is also open to undergoing a parental fitness evaluation, as previously requested by Jeezy.
Mai asked the court to enforce the terms of her and Jeezy's mediated agreement and accused the rapper of "cherry-picking" which aspects of the agreement he follows. She also requested that the court throw out Jeezy's motion to vacate their mediated agreement, deny requests to change the agreement and that the court awards her legal fees.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
