Nicki Minaj’s Brother Will Stand Trial in Child Rape Case
Nicki Minaj’s brother, Jelani Maraj, is headed to trial after turning down two plea deal in his ongoing child rape case.
BOSSIP is reporting that Maraj rejected prosecutors’ plea deal of 15 years to life for predatory assault of a child. As we previously reported, Maraj was indicted on charges of allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl. The alleged victim told cops that Maraj raped and sodomized her from April through November 30, 2015 and allegedly raped her the day before his arrest.
Initially, before Maraj was indicted, the DA offered him a deal of seven years in exchange for a guilty plea to “course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree” but he rejected it. On top of that, his DNA matched the semen found on the rape accuser’s clothes. Now that he has opted to go to trial, Maraj faces life in prison.
Maraj’s attorney, David Schwatz, maintains that his client is innocent. “He is choosing to go to trial because he is not guilty of these allegations and has faith in our system of justice," he told BOSSIP.
Pre-trial hearings on the case is set to begin later this month. A rep for the District Attorney Office had no comment on the matter.