Actress DomiNque Perry is embroiled in a child custody dispute with Sarunas J. Jackson, the brother of Keke Palmer’s ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson. Per PEOPLE, Perry, 35, and Sarunas, 33, share a 5-year-old daughter – though the pair admitted they were never in a romantic relationship.
The Insecure star in a petition that was filed in California Superior Court on Tuesday claims that she “experienced emotional volatility, intimidation, bullying, undeserved stress, mental and physical abuse, controlling and narcissistic behavior, all over the past 5 plus years from Sarunas and his family.”
The custody dispute between Perry and her former costar comes after Keke Palmer accused her ex-boyfriend and Sarunas’ brother Darius Jackson of emotional and physical abuse. Perry on September 21 filed a petition to determine parental relationship. But Sarunas Jackson in a November 16 filing rejected it.
Perry in the petition claimed she was subjected to “regular” bullying and intimidation which Sarunas Jackson’s brother “Darius admitted and confirmed.” “I was always nervous because I felt that I wasn’t ever good enough by the Petitioner and the family,” she added.
Perry also alleged that while co-parenting their 5-year-old daughter Zen, she was “blamed for our daughter being on the Autism Spectrum.” The Deadly Dispatch actress claimed that she and Sarunas Jackson had a “heated” talk in March 2020 where he “became more angry and grabbed me by the throat and started choking me.”
During the said incident, the petition stated that Zen burst into tears after she approached her parents, PEOPLE reported. Perry claimed that Sarunas Jackson took their child away from her in an effort to console the minor.
“He was so angry that he had blood coming from his mouth where he bit his tongue,” Perry claimed. “A few weeks later he showed up to my residence with scratches all over his neck and face. I asked what happened and he stated ‘he cornered his mom and they were fighting.’ The choking on his behalf is the norm. He is violent with women,” Perry added.
Sarunas Jackson, in the declaration filed on November 16, denied the abuse allegations Perry made against him. “It is unclear where Respondent’s allegations of emotional volatility and intimidation are coming from,” the declaration stated.
“My family and I have always welcomed Respondent with open arms, inviting her to family events and showing her love and support in more ways than one. In return, Respondent has defamed my character to others, making them believe I am an absent father.”
Sarunas Jackson also claimed the allegations Perry made against him “have made me fear for repercussions in my career.” He expressed worries over “the looming threat that she would request court-ordered child support for greater than the amount that we have agreed to.”
On November 9, Palmer filed for a domestic violence restraining order against her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson, who is Sarunas Jackson’s older brother, Face2Face Africa reported. The Akeelah and the Bee actress in court documents accused Darius Jackson of physically attacking her on multiple occasions. Palmer, who is also seeking full custody of their 8-month-old son, has since been granted temporary sole custody of their child.
Darius Jackson has also similarly refuted the allegations.
