Rapper Tory Lanez Files $100 Million Lawsuit Over Prison Stabbing
Tory Lanez, the rapper currently serving a 10-year sentence, has filed a federal lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The suit, filed Tuesday, also names the warden and guards at the prison in Tehachapi where the incident occurred. Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, is seeking $100 million in damages.
The lawsuit alleges that Lanez was stabbed 16 times in an unprovoked attack by a fellow inmate, sustaining injuries that included a collapsed lung.
Details of the Assault
According to the lawsuit, the stabbing occurred on May 12, 2025. Lanez was allegedly attacked by inmate Santino Casio using a homemade weapon. The assault resulted in serious injuries, and Lanez was airlifted to a hospital for treatment.
Allegations Against Prison Officials
The lawsuit claims prison officials failed in their duty to protect Lanez. It states that Santino Casio is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, with prior convictions for assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon (2008) and manufacturing a deadly weapon (2018).
The suit alleges officials should have known that housing Lanez with Casio presented a clear danger. It further claims that correctional officers' response to the attack was slow and that no special measures were used to stop it.
The lawsuit argues that Lanez's celebrity status made him a target within the prison system.
An additional allegation in the suit is that prison officials unlawfully seized Lanez's songbooks containing unpublished lyrics and have refused to return them.
Background on Tory Lanez's Incarceration
Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence following his December 2022 conviction on three felonies: assault with a semautomatic firearm, having a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. A California court rejected his appeal in November.
The convictions stem from a July 2020 incident involving hip-hop artist Megan Thee Stallion (legal name Megan Pete). Pete testified that Lanez fired a gun at her feet after they left a party. She subsequently had bullet fragments surgically removed from both feet.
Current Status and Response
As of this report, there is no public record of Santino Casio being charged in the assault on Lanez. An attorney who previously represented Casio did not respond to requests for comment.
Lanez has since been transferred to the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo County. Department of Corrections spokesperson Ike Dodson stated the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit was first reported by TMZ. Tory Lanez began releasing music in 2009 and has released multiple albums that reached the top 10 on the Billboard charts.