Megan Thee Stallion Wins Defamation Civil Suit Against Blogger Milagro Gramz in Trial By Yamillah Hurtado, Ilana Kaplan, and Sarah Michaud

Megan Thee Stallion has won a defamation case against blogger Milagro Gramz.

On Monday, Dec. 1, a Florida jury ruled in favor of the rapper (real name Megan Pete), 30, after she filed an October 2024 lawsuit against the blogger (real name Milagro Elizabeth Cooper) for alleging that she was “a paid surrogate” for Tory Lanez and spread lies on his behalf.

Per NBC News, five men and four women sided in favor of the Grammy winner.

The plaintiff was initially awarded $75,000 by the jury before U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga reduced the amount to $59,000, per NBC News, after determining Cooper should be treated as a media defendant. A source tells PEOPLE Cooper may also be responsible for covering the rapper’s legal fees in the case.

“I’m just happy,” Pete told reporters as she left the courthouse.

Reps for the rapper did not return PEOPLE’s request for comment.

“While we respect the jury’s decision, today’s verdict raises serious concerns about the future of free speech online. This case highlights the increasing vulnerability of independent commentators, bloggers, and digital creators who discuss public figures and matters of public interest,” Cooper’s attorney Nathacha Bien-Aime said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE following the ruling.

“The First Amendment was designed to protect open dialogue including criticism, commentary, and opinion even when it is sharp, uncomfortable, or controversial. When verdicts like this occur, they can create a chilling effect. Everyday people may become afraid to speak, post, or participate in public conversations out of fear that they will face litigation for their words. We remain proud of the defense we presented and of Ms. Cooper’s willingness to stand up for her voice. Regardless of today’s outcome, the broader questions about protecting online speech, defining the boundary between opinion and defamation, and safeguarding independent creators will continue to be critically important.”

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According to CBS News, Pete previously appeared in court in Miami on Nov. 21 and testified that Cooper’s actions deeply affected both her mental health and her music career. The rapper went on to share that this case had made her so depressed that she felt like life was not worth living.

The “Savage” rapper sued the blogger in October 2024 for alleged harassment and “churning out falsehoods” related to her 2020 shooting case against Tory Lanez online.

In the lawsuit, Pete alleged that Cooper “acts as a paid surrogate” for Lanez and spread lies on his behalf, per court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The rapper alleged Cooper shared a “deepfake pornographic video” of her to X and falsely claimed that the firearm Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) used to shoot Pete was missing.

Pete’s lawyers claimed that the Los Angeles Police Department had the firearms.

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Additionally, the lawsuit pointed out Cooper’s continuous doubt over whether or not Peterson actually shot Pete, despite his being convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for the violent crime.

Lanez was convicted of assaulting Pete with a semi-automatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence in December 2022.

The shooting occurred after a dispute between the two rappers and Pete’s former assistant and ex-friend, Kelsey Harris, in Los Angeles in July 2020.