Charges against rapper 42 Dugg were dismissed Thursday after the prosecution’s key witness failed to appear on the opening day of trial in Michigan. The case against Hayes, who had pleaded not guilty, collapsed before testimony could begin.
42 Dugg’s attorney, Steven Scharg, confirmed the dismissal and said his client had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings and was prepared to go to trial when the case was discontinued.
What prosecutors alleged
According to court documents, 42 Dugg sent messages to an unnamed woman between November 12, 2024 and March 11, 2025. Prosecutors alleged the messages were sent with the intent to terrorize, frighten, intimidate, threaten, harass, or disturb the recipient. The alleged victim was pregnant with 42 Duggs’s child at the time the messages were sent, according to the filing.
Prosecutors further alleged that the messages were intended to coerce the woman into terminating her pregnancy. It is not clear from available court records whether the pregnancy was carried to term. Hayes was also accused of making threats of physical harm against members of the woman’s family.
The charges carried a potential penalty of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine upon conviction.
A complicated road to trial
The path to Thursday’s proceedings was not straightforward. 42 Dugg entered a not guilty plea during a January court appearance. During the period between his arraignment and trial, prosecutors moved to revoke his bond, arguing that he had traveled across multiple states to perform at events, including a Mardi Gras kickoff in Louisiana, in apparent violation of his release conditions.
42 Dugg disputed that characterization, arguing there had been a misunderstanding and that he had been permitted to travel for work-related reasons. The bond revocation effort was ultimately unsuccessful.
The travel dispute carried additional weight given that Hayes was already serving probation in connection with a separate federal case out of Georgia at the time, a matter that also included restrictions on his movement.
The dismissal
When the trial opened Thursday, the prosecution’s witness did not appear, prompting the court to dismiss the case. No further details about the witness’s absence were provided in the immediate aftermath of the dismissal.
Scharg said the allegations against his client were not true and that the defense had arrived prepared to contest them at trial.
Source: TMZ
