Tory Lanez’s legal team has taken a new step in an ongoing courtroom dispute tied to Megan Thee Stallion’s defamation lawsuit.
His attorney, Crystal Morgan, filed a notice of appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on Monday, challenging sanctions imposed after Lanez refused to participate in a court-ordered deposition.
The appeal seeks to overturn a $20,000 penalty assessed against Lanez, along with an additional $5,000 fine levied against Morgan. The sanctions stem from a deposition in Megan’s lawsuit against blogger Milagro Gramz, in which Lanez declined to answer any questions.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid held Lanez in contempt, citing repeated noncompliance and inappropriate language directed at Megan’s legal team. Court records also note that Lanez dismissed warnings about financial consequences.
The deposition was part of Megan’s claim that Gramz harassed and discredited her online after she testified in Lanez’s 2020 shooting case. That defamation lawsuit ended with mixed outcomes, as a jury initially awarded Megan damages before a judge dismissed the defamation count and reduced the total award.
Despite his conviction and 10-year prison sentence, Lanez has continued to proclaim his innocence, previously stating, “I have never shot anybody. I have never shot Megan Thee Stallion.” The Eleventh Circuit will now review the sanctions dispute as the legal fallout continues.