Da Brat, the rapper born Shawntae Harris, went to jail because she pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for hitting a woman in the face with a rum bottle at an Atlanta-area nightclub on Halloween night 2007. A DeKalb County judge sentenced her to three years in prison followed by seven years of probation, and a civil jury later ordered her to pay the victim $6.4 million.
What Happened at the Nightclub
On October 31, 2007, Harris attended a private Halloween party at Studio 72, a Tucker, Georgia nightclub owned by producer Jermaine Dupri.1Billboard. Da Brat Arrested After Nightclub Dispute The victim, Shayla Stevens, was a 24-year-old waitress working part-time as a hostess at the event and a cheerleader for the Atlanta Falcons.2Pollstar. Three Years in the Slammer for Da Brat
According to the police report, the two bumped into each other and started arguing. Stevens walked away. Moments later, Harris struck her in the face with a rum bottle. Stevens suffered a deep laceration to her cheek, swelling on her forehead, and a permanent facial scar. DeKalb County police arrived at about 1:20 a.m. on November 1 and arrested Harris on a charge of aggravated assault.1Billboard. Da Brat Arrested After Nightclub Dispute
The Guilty Plea and Three-Year Sentence
On August 22, 2008, Harris appeared before DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gail Flake and pleaded guilty.3Billboard. Da Brat Gets Three Years for Assault Aggravated assault in Georgia carries a possible sentence of one to twenty years. Judge Flake gave her three years in prison and seven years of probation.2Pollstar. Three Years in the Slammer for Da Brat
The sentence also required 200 hours of community service, substance abuse treatment, a mental health evaluation, anger management classes, and no contact with Stevens.2Pollstar. Three Years in the Slammer for Da Brat
An Earlier Nightclub Incident
The bottle attack was not Harris’s first violent altercation at a club. In March 2000, she was accused of pistol-whipping a patron at a Buckhead club called Chill, causing injuries that required six stitches. She was initially charged with aggravated assault but ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct, was fined $1,000, and received 80 hours of community service and 12 months of probation.4Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Da Brat Jailed After Nightclub Fight
Prison and Work Release
Harris served her sentence at Arrendale State Prison in Alto, Georgia. In her final year she joined a work-release program, leaving the facility on weekdays to work a nine-to-five shift at a window-manufacturing company.5XXL Magazine. Da Brat Visits Jermaine Dupri on Work Release Jermaine Dupri confirmed her release on February 28, 2011, after roughly two and a half years behind bars, and she returned to Atlanta initially on house arrest.6XXL Magazine. Da Brat Released From Jail, Rep Confirms
The $6.4 Million Civil Verdict
The criminal case was only half the legal story. In 2009, Stevens sued Harris, Dupri, and Dupri’s entertainment company, alleging assault and battery against Harris and premises liability against Dupri.7Courthouse News Service. Waitress Says Rapper Assaulted Her Dupri was dismissed on summary judgment, and the case went to trial against Harris alone.8Law.com VerdictSearch. Rapper Launched Unprovoked Assault at Nightclub, Per Suit
On February 27, 2014, a Cobb County jury awarded Stevens $6.4 million: $3.7 million in compensatory damages for medical treatment, pain and suffering, and lost income, plus $2.7 million in punitive damages.9Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jury Orders Da Brat to Pay Millions to Victim of Bottle Attack Trial evidence showed Stevens had sustained brain damage, permanent facial scarring, and nerve damage from the attack.8Law.com VerdictSearch. Rapper Launched Unprovoked Assault at Nightclub, Per Suit
Bankruptcy and the Nondischargeable Debt
Harris did not pay. By 2018, with accumulated interest, the amount owed had grown to about $8 million, and court filings said Stevens had not received anything.10Hip-Hop Wired. Da Brat Eight Million Assault Case Bankruptcy In August 2018, Harris filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing more than $7 million in debts against $108,700 in assets. The $6.4 million judgment made up the bulk of what she owed, along with $1.25 million to Sony Music.11Page Six. Da Brat Files for Bankruptcy, Owes Over $7M
Stevens filed an adversary proceeding in January 2019, arguing the debt could not be discharged because the assault was willful and malicious.10Hip-Hop Wired. Da Brat Eight Million Assault Case Bankruptcy That proceeding, Stevens v. Harris, ended in a final consent order on September 17, 2020; the specific terms are not detailed in available records.12PACER Monitor. Stevens v. Harris
Life After Release
Harris rebuilt her career after prison. She released a free mixtape, Life After Death, in mid-2011 with production from Dupri and features from Jadakiss and Twista.13BET. Da Brat Releases New Mixtape She landed a permanent seat on The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, syndicated in more than 65 markets, and became a host on Dish Nation. She credited the discipline of her work-release schedule with preparing her for early-morning radio.14Vibe. Da Brat Joins Rickey Smiley Morning Show
Speaking about her time inside, Harris said, “I think God does everything for a reason and it was meant for me to sit down and regroup and think things over and realize I shouldn’t take anything for granted.” She described herself afterward as “a better person, a wiser person.”15Rickey Smiley Morning Show. Da Brat: Her Body, Her Empire