Continue to Hollywoodlife () SKIP AD
Hollywood Life Logo Image

Hollywood Life

Today's Top Stories

  • New Pics

    Beyoncé Kisses Jay-Z's Hand On Date Night With Friends

  • Scottie Pippen
    More Details

    Scottie Pippen’s Kids: Everything To Know About The Basketball Star’s 8 Children

  • paula's choice
    SHOP

    Over 21,000 People Swear By This BHA Exfoliant That Clears Blackheads & Pores & Is Under $30

Hollywood Life
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrity Bios
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Shopping
  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
ALL NEWS
  • Ireland Baldwin

    Ireland Baldwin Shares A View Of Her New ‘Yeehaw’ Tattoo In Tiny Bikini At The Beach – See Pic

  • Kim Kardashian’s Trip To Miami Was A Much-Needed ‘Mental Getaway’ After Kanye West Split

  • Walter Mondale Dead At 93: Jimmy Carter & More Mourn The ‘Best Vice President In Our Country’s History’

  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Holidays
  • Entertainment Features
  • Podcast
  • Oscar Contenders
ALL ENTERTAINMENT
  • maci bookout, taylor mckinney

    ‘Teen Mom OG’: Maci, Taylor & Ryan’s Parents Explode On Each Other In Heated Reunion Preview

  • Makayla Phillips: 5 Things To Know About The Talented 18-Year-Old Returning To ‘Idol’

  • Yvette Nicole Brown Says Black Americans Are ‘Prey’ & Admits She’s ‘Terrified’ Of Police Violence

  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Khloe Kardashian
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Harry Styles
  • Kourtney Kardashian
ALL CELEBRITY BIOS
  • Ireland Baldwin

    Ireland Baldwin Shares A View Of Her New ‘Yeehaw’ Tattoo In Tiny Bikini At The Beach – See Pic

  • Britney Spears Shakes Her Hips In Nothing But A Sheer ‘Lace & Leather Catsuit’ — Watch

  • Kim Kardashian’s Trip To Miami Was A Much-Needed ‘Mental Getaway’ After Kanye West Split

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Beauty Features
  • Skincare
  • Makeover
  • Diet & Fitness
ALL BEAUTY
  • paula's choice

    Over 21,000 People Swear By This BHA Exfoliant That Clears Blackheads & Pores & Is Under $30

  • Gabrielle Union’s Trainer Massy Arias Shares Full-Body HIIT Workout With No Equipment Needed

  • Hailey Baldwin & More Stars Swear By This Mineral Sunscreen That Has Over 17,700 Reviews

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping
ALL FASHION
  • Britney Spears Shakes Her Hips In Nothing But A Sheer ‘Lace & Leather Catsuit’ — Watch

  • Simone Biles Rocks Daisy Dukes & A Crop Top As She Enjoys Some ‘Summer Shade’ — See Pics

  • Ditch Your Jeans For These High-Waisted Pencil Pants That Are Under $30 & Have Over 8k Reviews

  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Next Up

Louis C.K. Accused Of Pulling Out Penis & Masturbating In Front Of Women — 5 Speak Out

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
  • Search Close

Trending

  • Bonnie Says
  • Celeb Babies
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • At Home With...
  • ACM Awards
Search

NewsExpand Menu

  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
  • Rock The Vote

EntertainmentExpand Menu

  • Entertainment Features
  • TV
  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Podcast
  • At Home With...

BeautyExpand Menu

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Skincare
  • Beauty Features
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Shopping

FashionExpand Menu

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping

TrendingExpand Menu

  • Bonnie Says
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • At Home With...
  • ACM Awards

About UsExpand Menu

  • About Us
  • Writer Bios
  • Scoops, Tips & Corrections
  • Subscribe To Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Celebrity ProfilesExpand Menu

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Selena Gomez
  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
Alerts & Newsletters
  • Jobs
  • Scoops & Corrections
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • AdChoices
  • Data Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
© 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
  • News
  • Celebrity News
  • Nicki Minaj
Breaking News
comment 3 Comments
November 9, 2017 4:00PM EST

Nicki Minaj’s Brother Found Guilty In Child Rape Case — Facing 25 Years To Life In Prison

Courtesy of Instagram
Jason Brow
Music & Sports Editor
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk

The verdict is in: Jelani Maraj, the brother of Nicki Minaj, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting his former stepdaughter. For the hideous crime of raping an 11-year-old girl, he now faces life in prison.

A month-long trial came to a close on Nov. 9, as a jury convicted Jelani Maraj, 38, of predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child, according to Newsday. Nicki Minaj‘s brother showed no emotion when the verdict was read out, and remained that way when State Supreme Court Justice Robert McDonald ordered to be held without bail in Nassau County jail in East Meadow. He’s expected back in jail on Dec. 14 for sentencing. He faces up to life in prison.

It’s unbelievable to think how this man was convicted of raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter. The victim’s brother, who was 8 years old at the time of the crimes, testified that he discovered Jelani on top of his sister, according to Uproxx. The brother also claimed that Jelani physically assaulted him, slapping him and threatening the boy to keep what he saw quiet. However, the details could not be kept hidden forever. During the trial, the victim – now 14 years old – discussed how Jelani instructed her on ways to “make anal sex less painful,” how he called her his “puppet” and that she had “no say” in what he did to her. She also testified that Jelani would get physically abusive if she rejected his advances.

In addition to beating her, the victim said Jelani threatened her by saying she would be taken away from her mother if she told anyone. However, she brought his crimes to light when she spoke to a school counselor in November 2015. Her brother also told what he knew to a child protector worker who investigated this terrible crime.

Throughout the trial, Jelani maintained his innocence, even when the prosecution submitted DNA evidence. The prosecution provided a pair of the victim’s pajamas that contained semen that matched Jelani’s DNA profile. His defense argued that there were ways that stain could have gotten on the child’s clothes, suggesting it was cross contaminated. Jelani’s defense, on the whole, was that his ex had orchestrated these abuse claims as part of an extortion plot. His legal team said that the victim’s mother beat her kids to force them to go along with this plot, and that his ex had told Nicki “if she paid $25 million, the charges would go away.”

Though Jelani’s ex testified that she did beat her kids and drank too much, she denied that she fabricated these abuse claims. The jury clearly believed her and the victims, convicting Jelani of child rape. This will not be the end of this case, as Jelani’s attorney says he believes his client will win on appeal.

Nicki never testified during the trial, according to TMZ, despite earlier reports saying she would make an appearance. She came under fire for paying the $100,000 to bail him out of jail after the initial arrest. Nicki has yet to issue a statement on the case.

What do you think about this, HollywoodLifers?

Click to Subscribe to Our HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get more celeb news.
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Nicki Minaj

More News:

  • Nicki Minaj's Brother Trial: Ex Says They Were 'Black Brady Bunch' Before Child Rape Claims
  • Nicki Minaj's Brother's DNA Found On Rape Accuser's Clothes: Will He Accept Plea Deal?
  • Nicki Minaj's Brother Pictured For First Time Since Being Charged With Child Rape

Most Read

Suri Cruise Sports Long Hair While Posing With Flowers & Goofing Off With Friends On 15th Birthday

Kylie Jenner Wears Nothing But A Bikini Top In Sexy New Video Using ‘No Filter’

Kylie Jenner

Jennifer Lawrence & Husband Cooke Maroney Pictured For The 1st Time In 6 Months — See Photos

Alex Rodriguez: See 1st Photos Of Star Out & About After Confirming J.Lo Split

Addison Rae Responds To Fan Speculation She’s Dating Jack Harlow – See Her Message

Addison Rae, Jack Harlow

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

More From Our Brands

  • Costco Is Offering an Unbeatable Deal on These Gorgeous & Colorful Hanging Baskets
    SheKnows

    Costco Is Offering an Unbeatable Deal on These Gorgeous & Colorful Hanging Baskets

  • J-Lo Still Hasn’t Returned Her $1.8M Engagement Ring to A-Rod & Here’s Why
    StyleCaster

    J-Lo Still Hasn’t Returned Her $1.8M Engagement Ring to A-Rod & Here’s Why

  • BlogHer Job Board: Remote Freelance Opportunities for Creatives
    Blogher

    BlogHer Job Board: Remote Freelance Opportunities for Creatives

  • Days of Our Lives Spoilers April 19 – 30
    Soaps

    Days of Our Lives Spoilers April 19 – 30

    HollywoodLife

    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Scoops & Corrections
    • Contact Us

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Rights
    • AdChoices
    • Terms of Use
    • Data Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    News

    • Celebrity News
    • World News
    • Exclusives
    • Celebrity Babies

    Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
© Copyright 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
ad