Keke Palmer Files for Legal Custody of Son, Reportedly Seeks Restraining Order Against Darius Jackson

Keke Palmer is requesting sole custody of her 8-month-old son Leodis while seeking a restraining order against his father, her ex, Darius Jackson. Palmer has accused Jackson of being abusive multiple times throughout their two-year relationship, alleging in Nov. 9 court documents obtained by Us Weekly that she has security footage of a Nov. 5 incident in which Jackson trespassed into her home and “threatened” her before “lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch and stealing my phone.”

The Nope star continues that there were “many instances of physical violence” with Jackson throughout their relationship, including “destroying my personal property, including diaries and prescription eyeglasses, throwing my belongings into the street, throwing my car keys to prevent me from driving away, hitting [me] in front of our son, spewing profanities about me to our son, threatening to kill himself with a gun if I left him, harassment, and other physical and emotional abuse.”

Palmer says her relationship with Jackson ended “for good” in early October due to the “physical and emotional abuse” he inflicted on her. Jackson has yet to respond publicly to the allegations but came under fire in July for the comments he made about the outfit Palmer wore to an Usher concert. After Palmer was photographed wearing a black bodysuit with a sheer black dress overtop, Jackson wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “It’s the outfit tho … you a mom.”

He continued to double down amid public backlash, writing, “We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others & he gets told how much of a hater he is. This is my family & my representation. I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case.” A month later, Palmer appeared in Usher’s “Boyfriend” music video, shading Jackson’s comments about her outfit. “What time is it?” Palmer asks at one point. “Damn it, I missed the show. I’m so tired. I’m a mother, after all.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org or by texting “START” to 88788.