Bryant Giles has been cleared in his domestic abuse case.
According to legal documents obtained by Complex, the Chicago-based artist/designer was found not guilty of domestic battery-causing bodily harm. Giles was arrested Oct. 8, 2018 on the misdemeanor charge, which prompted rapper Noname to publicly denounce the artist. Giles had illustrated the cover art for her 2018 album, Room 25. Noname said she would replace the cover for the project in light of the abuse allegations.
"I will be working to replace the cover artwork of Room 25," Noname tweeted. "I do not and will not support abusers, and I will always stand up for victims and believe their stories."
A woman who claimed to be a close friend of Giles' alleged victim shared a series of social media posts accusing the artist of being a "sociopath" and a "rapist." She accused Giles of punching and sexually abusing her friend, and also claimed he had performed sexual acts at Nike events.
Giles has denied all the allegations.
"I was accused and charged with a crime based on the word of one other individual: essentially word of mouth," he wrote in a statement. "There was no physical evidence to corroborate this story. There were no witnesses to corroborate this story. There was no independent police investigation to corroborate this story."
Giles also addressed the Nike rumors, insisting it was a "vindictive" attempt to ruin his relationship with the sportswear giant.
You can read his full statement below.
I never expected that I would be on the receiving end of accusations that would call my character and livelihood into question. I especially never expected to be on the receiving end of a movement that I stand behind. Before these unfortunate accusations were made, I was in what I thought to be a loving relationship with my partner. As surprising as it may sound to some, I was blind-sided by these accusations.
