Nelly's Statement About His Alleged Rape Case Being Closed Mentions Plans To Sue

Two months after the rapper was arrested, Nelly's alleged rape case has been closed, according to TMZ. On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the site reported that the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office dropped the charges against the "Hot In Herre" singer. (Bustle reached out to the attorney's office for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.) Now, Nelly responded to the investigation being closed through his lawyer, in addition to announcing plans to sue.

UPDATE: According to TMZ, Nelly's accuser has now filed a lawsuit against him alleging defamation and sexual assault. In response, an attorney for Nelly released the following statement to Bustle: "It comes as no surprise that Ms. Green filed a lawsuit against Nelly seeking money after we announced our intention to hold her accountable. We always believed her accusation was motivated by greed. Nelly will answer and proceed with a counter suit against her for her outrageous unfounded allegations."

On the evening of Friday, Dec. 15, Nelly's attorney told Bustle in a statement:

“The formal close of the investigation into the false allegations made against Nelly is of course welcome - however expected. We were confident, that what our investigation revealed from the outset of this allegation would ultimately be clear and Nelly would be vindicated. A thorough investigation did show Nelly was a victim of deceitful allegation devoid of credibility. Credible evidence did show this accuser to be deceptive. We have been in constant communication with the King County authorities and welcomed and appreciated the diligence in which the authorities proceeded. Leaving no stone unturned."

His attorney also acknowledged female victims of assault and the need for them to be heard, stating,

"Nelly recognizes the need for women who are victims of sexual assault of any kind to be heard and our existing systems changed. Nelly supports various women’s advocacy groups that deal with Sexual Assault, and violence against women and is dedicated to raising awareness and furthering the conversation to about bring about necessary changes. However, this type of reckless false allegation cannot be tolerated as it is an affront to the real survivors of sexual assault."

He then added, "Nelly has suffered very real damage to his reputation. He has incurred economic loss and painfully has watched his family suffer. As a result, Nelly is planning to proceed with litigation as the first step in restoring his reputation.”

As for why the case was dropped, the attorney's office released the following statement to ABC News on Dec. 14:

"Police responded to and investigated a sexual assault allegation involving Mr. Haynes. However, within days of her initial report to police, the complainant, through her attorney, informed investigators from the Auburn police department that she did not wish to assist in prosecution or the investigation of Mr. Haynes."

They also added, "While we have reviewed the existing investigative material, without the assistance of the complainant, this office is unable to proceed or fully assess the merits of the case." Meanwhile, TMZ is claiming that the only reason the alleged victim refused to testify was reportedly because of the pressure of going up against a celebrity.

The allegations first surfaced in October. Nelly was accused of allegedly sexually assaulting an unknown woman on his tour bus while in Washington after a performance with Florida Georgia Line. He was arrested by the Auburn Police Department on an alleged second degree rape charge and taken into custody. Through his attorney, Nelly denied the allegations to Bustle at the time and released the following statement:

"Nelly is the victim of a completely fabricated allegation. Our initial investigation, clearly establishes, this allegation is devoid of credibility and is motivated by greed and vindictiveness. I am confident , once this scurrilous accusation is thoroughly investigated , there will be no charges. Nelly is prepared to address and pursue all legal avenues to redress any damage caused by this clearly false allegation."

Not only that, but the rapper posted a series of tweets about the whole situation. He wrote on Twitter on Oct. 7,

"I do want to apologize to my loved ones for the embarrassment and for putting myself in a situation where I could be victimized by this false and defaming allegation."

He also thanked his fans for what he called "unwavering support," adding, "They know me. I assure you I will be vindicated. And I assure you, I will pursue every legal option to address this defaming claim." It appears that the last part of that statement — the plans to pursue every legal option — has remained true.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org.