Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty’s relationship has been subjected to heavy scrutiny, with many pointing to Petty’s prior conviction of first-degree rape in 1995. And while Minaj attests that her husband has grown since the incident, it continues to follow the couple long after the fact. On March 4th, Petty was arrested after failing to register as a sex offender, a decision that has officially put him at risk of doing further jail time — he is currently awaiting his trial, and if convicted faces up to a decade in prison.
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Though the stakes are undeniably high, Petty and Minaj have managed to catch a small, albeit potentially important break. Fearing that certain pieces of evidence presented by the prosecutors would put Minaj’s privacy at risk, the couple requested a protective order be placed lest the information fall into the wrong hands. Given that Minaj is a megastar with a rabid fanbase of loyal supporters, having her address or personal phone number leak could ultimately lead to additional trouble.
Though Bossip confirms that the prosecutors did indeed fight for the documents to remain untouched, it would appear the judge has decided to side with Petty and Minaj, granting their request that select pieces of evidence be shielded from the public eye. It should be noted that this decision has little to no bearing on how Petty’s ultimate fate plays out. Look for more details surrounding this upcoming trial to emerge in the coming days.