Metro Boomin has hired a top memory expert as part of his defense in a civil sexual assault case set to go to trial later this month.
Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, a well-known psychologist who’s worked on hundreds of legal cases, will testify that the accuser’s memory might not be reliable. The case was filed by Vanessa LeMaistre, who claims Metro, real name Leland Wayne, allegedly assaulted her in 2016 during a studio session. She says he gave her Xanax and alcohol while she was grieving the death of her baby, and that the encounter led to a pregnancy, which she later ended.
LeMaistre also believes Metro referenced the abortion in his 2017 song “Rap Saved Me”. Metro denies all of it, saying the sex was consensual and calling the lawsuit a “pure shakedown.”
Dr. Loftus is expected to explain how memory can be influenced by things like trauma, stress, and time. In her review, she found signs that LeMaistre’s story may have changed over time. She pointed out that after the alleged assault, LeMaistre continued to reach out to Metro and even wrote in her journal that she wanted to spend more time with him. Loftus also noted that after LeMaistre took part in an ayahuasca ceremony in 2024, new details were added to her complaint months later.
The trial is set to begin on September 23, 2025.
