Wendy Williams' Son Pleads Not Guilty to Assaulting His Dad Kevin Hunter
Wendy Williams‘ son Kevin Hunter Jr. has pleaded not guilty to assaulting his dad Kevin Hunter, according to multiple outlets.
Kevin Jr., 18, appeared in a New Jersey courtroom on Tuesday for his arraignment after he was arrested last month, TMZ and Page Six reported.
He entered a not guilty plea, according to TMZ.
Kevin Jr.’s attorney Ray Hamlin tells PEOPLE he is looking “forward to resolving this case favorably and believe that the case will be resolved in that manner so that my client can enter into his Sophomore year of college with no distractions.”
He also told TMZ that Hunter has no desire to bring charges against his son.
In addition, Kevin Jr. may qualify for a state-wide conditional dismissal program to clear his name, TMZ reported. However, he must remain out of trouble, the outlet reported.
The prosecutor Joseph Wenzel has also asked for more time to review the case. He will also consider Kevin Sr. not wanting to press charges.
“It does factor into my determination,” Wenzel told Page Six. “But at the end of the day I have to make the call about what’s in the best interest of justice.”
Kevin Jr. will appear in court again on July 9.
A spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey confirmed to PEOPLE that an incident took place at 9:50 p.m. on May 21.
Kevin Jr. was charged with simple assault, according to the spokeswoman, following an altercation in West Orange. He was processed and released by West Orange Police Department the same evening and was not taken to county jail.
TMZ reported that Williams’ estranged husband Hunter and Kevin Jr. got into a physical altercation that resulted in the cops being called.
“I love my son very much and I will not be pursuing this matter legally,” Hunter said in a statement to TMZ. “Things are not always how they appear.”
According to the outlet, Williams, 54, dropped Kevin Jr. off at her house, not knowing Hunter was there. Though she planned to return shortly, Kevin Jr. and Hunter reportedly ended up making a quick trip to a nearby store in the meantime.
While standing in the parking lot of the store, the two reportedly got into a verbal altercation about his divorce from Williams. Hunter claimed Williams was attempting to “brainwash” their son, reports TMZ.
The fight quickly escalated, with Hunter allegedly putting his son in a headlock. Kevin Jr. allegedly fought back by punching his father in the face.
A source with knowledge of the incident told PEOPLE that Hunter was trying to calm his son down and keep the situation from escalating by placing him in the headlock.
Williams filed for divorce from Hunter in April. Their separation came amid the news that he had allegedly fathered a child with his mistress. Hunter broke his silence on the split in a statement to PEOPLE, addressing the cheating scandal and admitting he was “not proud of my recent actions.”
According to a source, they’ve “had zero contact” since then, and Williams “has nothing to say to him.”
She has also cut ties with her ex professionally; he was removed as executive producer of The Wendy Williams Show, and she dissolved The Hunter Foundation, the non-profit organization the couple founded in 2014.
A source recently told PEOPLE that Williams has “actually been in really good spirits” since calling it quits with Hunter and has been throwing herself into her work.
“She’s taking over her empire,” the source said. “She was kept out of the loop a lot. Wendy’s an executive producer on the show as well, but she’s the talent. Kevin was the one doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff and being a go-between for her and the show.”
Williams has also moved on romantically: She’s been seeing Marc Tomblin, a 27-year-old convicted felon, for a couple of weeks.
