Tory Lanez, also known as Daystar Peterson, is demanding $100 million in a federal lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections.
The legal move follows a May 2025 incident in which he was nearly killed after being placed in close quarters with a dangerous inmate. The lawsuit names the warden and several guards at the Tehachapi facility, arguing that they failed in their basic duty to keep him safe from known threats.
The details of the assault are grim. Peterson’s legal team states he was ambushed by Santino Casio, a man already serving a life sentence for murder. During the “unprovoked life-threatening attack,” Casio allegedly used a makeshift weapon to stab the rapper 16 times across his head, face, and torso. The injuries were so severe that Peterson suffered a collapsed lung and required an emergency airlift to a nearby hospital for life saving surgery.
The core of the lawsuit hinges on the prison’s decision to pair a high profile celebrity with a convicted murderer. “The choice to house Casio with Peterson was known or should have been a known danger,” the lawsuit says.
Peterson’s attorneys argue that his fame made him an immediate target and that the guards on duty were far too slow to intervene while the stabbing was taking place, failing to use standard tactical tools to break up the violence.
Beyond the physical trauma, Peterson is also accusing the prison of interfering with his professional future. The filing claims that officials confiscated his personal songbooks, which contain unpublished lyrics intended for future projects.
Despite requests for their release, the prison has reportedly refused to return the materials. While Peterson continues to serve his 10-year sentence for the 2022 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion, he has been relocated to the California Men’s Colony for his safety.
