Kris Jenner

Death Threats, Physical Fights: Bombshells From the Blac Chyna and Kardashians Court Trial

Nearly five years after Blac Chyna filed a lawsuit against the Kardashians, seeking upwards of $100 million in damages, her case is heading to trial. Find out all the new details

Bill Robles via AP

Blac Chyna's trial against the Kardashians is officially underway. Nearly five years after Chyna, born Angela White, filed a lawsuit against the entire family -- including her ex-fianc Rob Kardashian, his sisters Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner and his mom Kris Jenner -- her case is heading to trial.

Haven't been keeping up? We've got you. In 2017 Chyna filed a lawsuit, alleging that the family was responsible for derailing her reality TV show career. She and Rob starred in their own E! spinoff, 2016's "Rob & Chyna," before splitting that December. In her suit, Chyna alleges that the Kardashians were behind the cancellation of the show's second season and is suing them for defamation.

Simultaneously, she is also suing Rob for assault, battery, and harassment. As a result, Chyna is seeking upwards of $100 million in damages.

In addition to Chyna and her lawyer, Lynne Cianni, Kim, Khloe, Kris and Kylie (alongside their lawyer, Michael Rhodes) were all present for the California court proceedings on April 18.

Keep reading for all of the bombshells from the legal battle so far:

Pete Davidson Attended the Trial to Support Kim Kardashian

Pete Davidson attended the trial's closing arguments on April 28 to support girlfriend Kim Kardashian, who made an appearance in a black Balenciaga suit with her hair in a tight bun. According to an eyewitness, Pete was sitting in the back corner of the courtroom. "When Kris and Kylie walked out a little early," the witness tells E! News, "they both stopped to hug him in his seat."

Rob Kardashian Testifies That His Love for Blac Chyna Was “Not Real”

While testifying on April 27, Rob said he was not in love with Chyna, who he proposed to in April 2016. He said it seemed like they were only together so that she could pitch a TV show to him. He told the court, "It was not real love, otherwise we would've been married."

He continued by saying the relationship was "all negative."

Rob said he tried to make their romance work, but didn't marry her because "I wouldn't do that to my daughter," who was born in November 2016.

Rob Kardashian Tells His Side of the Alleged December 2016 Fight

Rob testified on April 27 that Chyna began attacking him throughout the night of Dec. 14 to 15, 2016.

He said Chyna "landed several blows" to his face and "all over" his body using a metal rod. He said he "pulled back" because he was "not going to fight a woman." He said that night was "the end" of their relationship. 

He also alleged that Chyna pointed a gun at him that night, which Chyna denied during her testimony. "You don't point guns at your fiancé's head," Rob said. "I didn't think it was playful." He described it as "scary" and denied it was a "happy" time for him.

Rob said he eventually hired full-time armed security for the first time in order to "protect" his family, himself and his daughter, Dream, after Chyna allegedly "put a gun to my head." 

Chyna said in court that she picked up an unloaded gun from the nightstand but did not point it at Rob. During the closing arguments, Chyna's lawyer alleged that the Kardashians defamed Chyna based on "false" claims of physical abuse regarding the night of Dec. 14, 2016. 

Rob Kardashian Discusses His Social Anxiety

When asked about celebrating New Year's Eve 2016 with Chyna a couple weeks after the alleged gun incident, Rob said it wasn't a good time for him. "I have social anxiety," he said, adding that he faces insecurities about his body. He said he had gained weight and didn't like to leave the house. Rob said Chyna "forced" him to leave that night to go to Mastro's restaurant in the Los Angeles area, and he "went with it but I wasn't happy about it." He noted that he was not "happy" that night in part because of the "crazy" weeks leading up to it.  

During Chyna's prior testimony, she said their celebration at Mastro's was "really good." The model added that they spent New Year's Day hiking and talking about their relationship. "We was just like taking it easy," she said. "Taking it slow."

Kim and Khloe Kardashian Deny They Had the Power to End "Rob & Chyna"

Kim and Khloe took the stand on April 26, saying they didn't have power to end the E! show "Rob & Chyna" after one season. Chyna's lawyer asked Khloe if she wanted the show to be cancelled, and Khloe replied, "We don't have control." The reality star later added, "We feel strongly about a lot of things [but] that doesn't mean anybody is going to listen to us."

Chyna's lawyers presented an alleged 2017 text conversation between the Kim and a "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" producer, though Kim said she didn't remember sending the messages. At one point, Kim noted that in one text she said the "network doesn't listen to us," saying this means her family didn't have power to influence such show decisions.

Kylie Jenner Testifies That Tyga Told Her Blac Chyna Attacked Him With Knife

Kylie testified on April 25 that Tyga once showed her a 6-inch long scar on his arm that he said was from a knife wound from Chyna. Kylie said she "wasn't there" when the attack allegedly happened, so she had no evidence and only knew "what Tyga told me." Kris also testified the week prior that Kylie and Tyga had told her about an alleged cut on his arm.

Kris Jenner Testified on Being Told About Blac Chyna's Alleged Death Threats to Kylie Jenner

When testifying in court, Kris said that Kylie told her that Chyna had threatened to kill Kylie in 2012. Chyna's attorney, Lynne Ciani, first asked Kris if Chyna had once allegedly threatened to kill Kylie. Kris said she couldn't remember, but after Ciani showed her a copy of a deposition about the alleged threat, Kris said she stands by what she said at the time. Kris said she didn't have proof of the alleged incident and only recalled "what Tyga and Kylie told me." She speculated on the stand that Chyna was probably "upset Kylie was dating her ex-fiancé [Tyga]." E! News reached out to Tyga's rep for comment but didn't hear back.

Kylie Jenner Testifies About Alleged Threats From Chyna

Kylie said she once woke up to "threatening" texts from Chyna, including the devil emoji. She said she didn't take the threat "seriously" and didn't report it to police.

Chyna's lawyer Ciani brought up Kylie's 2019 deposition in which she was asked about Chyna's alleged threats, and Kylie testified that she didn't remember at the time and she now does.

How Kris Jenner Felt About Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian’s Relationship

On the stand, Kris also testified about her thoughts on Chyna's relationship with her son, Rob, which she learned of in 2016. Calling it "a rocky relationship from the start," Kris said she wasn't worried about Chyna and Rob's relationship, even after the alleged death threat to Kylie, because she is "used to a lot of drama" in their family. The matriarch also said she didn't confront Chyna about the alleged death threat because "you want to give people a second chance and we had moved on."

Blac Chyna Says She Was "Joking" About Trying to Strangle Rob Kardashian

Chyna’s lawyer Lynne Ciani said that Kris told Bunim/Murray that Chyna had strangled Rob with an iPhone cord, but Ciani said this is false. During her testimony, Chyna spoke about the cord incident, which allegedly took place in December 2016. She said they were “being silly” and celebrating their "Rob & Chyna" show greenlit for a second season. She said Rob was playing video games and not paying attention to her. She said she “playfully” went up behind him and put the cord around his neck to get his attention “jokingly,” and “not to strangle him.”

Blac Chyna Says She Picked Up an Unloaded Gun While Celebrating With Rob Kardashian

Chyna testified she knew Rob had an unloaded gun in the home. And at one point on that same night, Rob was on a video call and Chyna picked up the unloaded gun in the background of his FaceTime. However, Chyna denied pointing the gun at him.

The Kardashians’ lawyer Rhodes alleged Chyna was physical with Rob. He said Chyna admits to putting the cord around Rob’s neck and that an eyewitness who was FaceTiming with Rob saw Chyna point an unloaded gun at him.

During a past lawsuit with Chyna, Rob filed a declaration in 2020 regarding both the cord and gun incidents, saying he "feared for my life" when she "pointed a gun at me in our home" and during other alleged incidents. "I believed that she could kill me… that she could slip up and shoot me accidentally," he said. "Moreover, I am well-aware of Chyna's tendency to act violently toward me and others… further causing me to fear for my life." He dismissed the lawsuit in February 2022.

At the time the declaration was filed, Chyna's attorney told E! News there was "no violent attack" against Rob. She said in part, "The evidence shows that Rob and Chyna, a very happily engaged couple at the time, had a raucous and flirty time together on December 14, 2016 to celebrate." 

Kris Jenner Alleges Chyna Attempted to Kill Rob Kardashian

In her April 22 testimony, Kris noted Rob told her Chyna hit him with a metal rod during the December 2016 incident, but Kris didn't remember where on his body.  

Later, Ciani asked if Kris absolutely believes Chyna "attempted to murder Rob," to which Kris replied, "I do." When asked why, Kris alleged that Chyna "tried to strangle Rob with a cord… It was complete chaos. He was devastated." Kris said she felt "heartbroken" and described Rob as "a mess."

Corey Gamble Recalls Intervening After Alleged Fight Between Chyna and Rob

Kris' partner Corey Gamble testified on April 26 that he went to Kylie's house in December 2016 to intervene after Rob and Chyna's alleged fight. 

He said Kris put the phone on speaker and Corey listened. "I could hear Chyna screaming," he said, alleging that that she said "f--- you" and "I'm gonna kill you, you fat motherf-----" to Rob. Corey said he was "already in motion" to put on clothes to go over. He said Kris, as a "distraught" and "worried mother," wanted to go, but Corey said she shouldn't due to potential safety concerns.

He says he drove about three or four blocks to the house, which took him about two minutes. Corey said that when he arrived, "I could just hear Chyna screaming at Robert," and he walked through the unlocked front door. He testified that he heard Chyna yelling that she was going to kill Rob. 

He said Chyna started hitting Rob, so he got between them and got hit two or three times by Chyna while trying to separate them. Corey said he told Rob to leave, because "I didn't want anything to happen to him." He alleged Chyna seemed "very angry."

Kris Jenner Explains Her Allegation That Chyna “Beat the S---” Out of Rob’s Face

Ciani showed an alleged text from Kris to a "Rob & Chyna" producer from around December 2016. The text read, "she ruined the door and then beat the s--- out of Rob's face." 

When asked what Kris meant by "beat the s---" out of Rob's face and what the basis of the allegation was, Kris said that it was a "figure of speech." She testified on April 22, "It's like if you were at an awards show and just got slapped but there's no mark." According to an eyewitness, people in the courtroom laughed, including Kim, Khloe and Kylie. 

Ciani asked if Kris was equating her accusation that Chyna beat Rob's face with a pole to an incident at the Academy Awards. Kris responded that it's just "how I speak," adding, "I just have a different way of speaking… [I] don't know what else to say. It's how I talk."

Chyna Recalls Hanging With Drake in the Club

Chyna said that at one point in time, Drake came into the King of Diamonds strip club where she danced, she performed for him and he paid her. “Drake came into the club and basically spent money on me and put me in a song,” she testified. Chyna, who gets a shout-out in Drake’s 2010 song “Miss Me,” said in court that it “created a really big buzz” and led to more work for her, including becoming Nicki Minaj’s stunt double.

E! News has reached out to Drake's rep for comment and has not heard back.

How Chyna Became Friends With Kim Kardashian

Chyna recalled taking a photo at a mall with a Kim cutout and posting it to her Instagram. She said that years later her “phone was blowing up” after friends reached out to tell her Kim had reposted the pic. “It was cool,” Chyna testified, saying their friendship started after that: “We became cool.”

How Kylie Jenner and Tyga’s Relationship Affected Chyna and Kim’s Friendship

Chyna testified that when Kylie started dating her ex Tyga, Kim reached out to Chyna to tell her they couldn't be friends anymore because of it. So Chyna became “disconnected” from the family, which is why she didn’t reply to Rob for a while when he was pursuing her. She said she questioned his motivations, since she and Kim weren’t speaking at the time. She said she was not in touch with Kim when she and Rob started talking. 

E! News reached out to Tyga's rep for comment.

Kris Jenner's Alleged Texts to "Rob & Chyna" Showrunner

In her opening statement, Chyna's lawyer, Lynne Ciani, alleged that Kris Jenner "set out to have season 2 of "Rob & Chyna" cancelled" following an alleged dispute between Rob and Chyna in December 2016. Chyna's lawyer claims Kris sent a slew of texts to the series' showrunner, allegedly calling Chyna "stupid," accusing her of "being drunk for three days," describing her as "really ghetto" and suggesting that they should "ditch the b--ch."

Kris Jenner Addresses Her “Ditch the B----” Text

Chyna's lawyer showed another message that Kris allegedly texted the Rob & Chyna producer which called Rob "devastated" and noted "he needs to ditch the b----" after the December 2016 incident. 

When asked why she used those words about Chyna, Kris testified on April 22, "I was very angry, very upset, very disappointed." She said it's not her "proudest moment" and feels "bad" about it now, "but it was how I felt at the time." She added that despite the alleged violence, "It's just really not the way I like to talk about people."

Chyna's Alleged Texts to Rob Kardashian

During his opening statement, the Kardashians' lawyer, Michael Rhodes, also showed alleged February 2017 texts from Chyna to Rob sent just a few months after their split. Rhodes claims that in addition to writing "F U," Chyna also allegedly texted, "It's over," and called Rob a "fat bitch," adding that his "disgusting sex is horrible." Rhodes also said that the alleged texts came on the very same day that E! executives were "still trying to save the show." In the closing argument, Chyna's lawyer said she never sent the texts.

Kylie Jenner Fixed Up a House for Rob and Chyna, Including Nursery for Dream

In December 2016, an alleged dispute took place between Rob and Chyna at a property owned by Kylie, according to Rhodes. He revealed in court that Kylie "wanted to give Rob and Chyna that home" adding that "it was a gift for them to live there."

"She decorated it for the holidays, stocked the pantries," Rhodes stated, "and even made a nursery for Dream."

Referencing to the alleged altercation, Chyna's lawyer said that unaired footage from season 2 of "Rob & Chyna" shows "no damage in the home," but admitted Chyna ruined "holiday gingerbread houses, a door and a TV."

During her testimony on April 25, Kylie said she offered her "empty house" in Hidden Hills for Rob and Chyna to live in, without charging rent. However, she denied having a role in setting up the home before they came.

Retreat Planned to Help Chyna and Rob Reconcile

Following their 2016 split, Rhodes claimed that the E! network and production company Bunim Murray "encouraged Rob and Chyna to try to work things out and go to a retreat together," since E! was coming close to the deadline option for picking up season 2. He also showed alleged texts from a Bunim executive letting Kris know that they found the retreat for the former couple and stated that the family was "on board" with pausing the show to save their relationship.
 
Then in July 2017, Rhodes noted, Chyna and her then-lawyer at the time, Lisa Bloom filed a temporary restraining order against Rob (which meant they could no longer be in the same room). This, as Rhodes explained, came shortly before the official deadline for the show's second season in August.

Chyna's Mom Sounded Off on the Kardashians

Right before their trial was set to begin, Chyna's mom, Tokyo Toni, shared a video of her thoughts about her daughter's legal battle on Instagram, saying in part that she thought the Kardashians "looked dead" and that "s--- was gonna get real."

After Rhodes expressed concerns about the video in court, saying that Toni made "veiled physical threats" towards the Kardashians, the judge agreed that she will not be allowed in the courtroom. Chyna's lawyer also concurred, calling the video, "inappropriate" and "unacceptable."

Chyna Says Rob Kardashian Was Disappointed Dream Was a Girl

Chyna recalled camera crews capturing her and Rob’s reactions when they learned the sex of their unborn child. She said Rob really wanted a boy so that he could develop a bond similar to the one he shared with his own father, Robert Kardashian, who died in 2003. Chyna said that when they filmed Dream’s sex reveal, she could “see the disappointment on his face” when he learned it was a girl, adding, “But he came around.”

Rob shared on "Rob & Chyna" in September 2016 that he was hoping for a boy to “carry on” the family name. "I'm definitely hoping for a boy because I want to have the same relationship that I had with my father with my son, so that's what I'm praying for," he said. The next year, he wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, per People, that “now that I got my girl I am so Thankful and Happy for her and wouldn’t want it any other way.”

This post was first first published on April 20, 2022, at 9:56 a.m. PT and updated at 5:12 p.m. PT following additional testimony. This post was updated on April 22, April 25, April 26 and April 28 with additional testimony and closing arguments.

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