Keke Palmer has filed for sole custody of her eight-month-old son, Leodis, while also accusing his father, Darius Jackson, of physical abuse. On November 9, the actress/singer submitted court documents seeking a restraining order against Jackson and detailing multiple instances of alleged assault. The accusations are extremely troubling. In the California Superior Court filing, Palmer alleges that Jackson trespassed into her home without her knowledge or consent, threatened her, and physically attacked her. She included screenshots of what appears to be security camera footage of a man striking a woman over a sofa. Palmer claims that similar incidents took place multiple times over a two-year period. Moreover, there have been many instances of physical violence, including destruction of personal property, harassment, and other forms of emotional abuse.
In the court declaration, Palmer explains that her relationship with Jackson ended primarily due to the physical and emotional abuse inflicted on her by him. She also alleges that Jackson would “love bomb” her, making her feel important one moment only to become distant and cold over perceived insults.
Palmer’s filing comes after months of speculation about her and Jackson’s relationship status following his remarks about her attire at an Usher concert in July. Following a viral social media rant by Jackson, Palmer released a song with Usher titled “Boyfriend”. When asked about her relationship status, Palmer brushed off the question, stating “mind y’all’s business.”