The nephew of Latin superstar Ricky Martin withdrew an order of protection request against the singer during a virtual court hearing in Puerto Rico Thursday and asked the judge to drop the case.
The nephew said he no longer needed the protection order, which was granted on July 1 and set to expire Thursday, after previously alleging that the two had been involved in a romantic relationship for seven months and that he “feared for his safety” after they broke up. The judge dismissed the case.
Martin’s attorneys said in a statement after the hearing that the decision to withdraw the order was the petitioner’s “alone, without outside influence or pressure.”
“This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them,” attorneys Joaquín Monserrate Matienzo, Carmelo Dávila and Harry Massanet Pastrana said in a joint statement. “We are glad that our client saw justice done and can now move forward with his life and his career.
Martin tweeted his attorneys’ statement, writing, “Truth prevails.”
Earlier this month, a judge granted the man a protective order against the “Living la Vida Loca” singer under Puerto Rico’s Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention Law, also known as Act 54, court documents obtained by Telemundo Puerto Rico show.
According to the filing, the man claimed that he and Martin dated for seven months before breaking up two months ago. The petitioner alleged that Martin did not accept the separation and accused him of stalking and harassment. The order alleged that Marin called him frequently and had been seen loitering near his house at least three times. “The petitioner fears for his safety,” the order said.
Martin has not been charged with any crimes.
The person who requested the protection was redacted from the documents, but after reports surfaced online identifying the man as Martin’s nephew, a spokesman for the singer confirmed that his half-sister’s son had requested the order.
“Unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges,” Martin’s attorney Marty Singers told NBC earlier this week. “Ricky Martin has, of course, never been — and would never be — involved in any kind of sexual or romantic relationship with his nephew.”
“The idea is not only untrue, it is disgusting,” he continued. “We all hope that this man gets the help he so urgently needs. But, most of all, we look forward to this awful case being dismissed as soon as a judge gets to look at the facts.”
Martin responded to the original order in a short statement posted to his social media earlier this month: “The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterizes me. Because it is an ongoing legal matter, I cannot make detailed statements at this time. I am grateful for the countless messages of solidarity, and I receive them with all my heart.”
