New Orleans rapper Mystikal, born Michael Tyler, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping. Tyler and an accomplice were indicted in September for an assault that allegedly occurred outside a Shreveport, Louisiana casino in October 2016 when the former No Limit artist was in town for the Legends of Southern Hip-Hop Tour.
Tyler, who spent 2003–2010 in prison for sexual battery and extortion, is currently being held at Caddo Correctional Center in Louisiana. His bond was set at $3 million. The Caddo district attorney’s office told KSLA that Tyler plans to file a motion for a bond reduction during his next hearing on Jan. 18. A grand jury has also indicted a woman related to the case for obstruction of justice.