Julie McKnight is speaking about Brian McKnight allegedly not telling their late son, Niko, that he loved him after filing to dismiss Brian’s defamation lawsuit against her.
RELATED: Brian McKnight Continues “Fatherhood” Talk Series As Julie McKnight Seemingly Reacts To Him Alleging He Won $8M Judgment
Julie McKnight Speaks On Brian McKnight Allegedly Not Telling Niko He Loved Him
On Friday, December 5, Page Six published an exclusive report sharing Julie’s statement on the matter.
“Those words should come easily, freely, and often. And in Niko’s case, lying on his sick bed, fighting through pain, fear, and uncertainty, he deserved that love spoken over him more than ever,” she explained. “…there is nothing more heartbreaking than hearing your child say that all they want is to simply hear his father say [those three words]. No child should have to long for something so basic, so pure, so necessary to the human heart. As his mother, hearing those words from him cut deeper than anything I could have imagined.”
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Furthermore, Julie explained that seeing her son’s longing reminded her of “how powerful love is and how deeply our children depend on it, especially in their most fragile moments.”
“[I only] ever wanted… Niko to feel safe, cherished, and unconditionally loved,” she said. “I pray that every parent understands the weight of their words, the importance of their presence, and the healing that love spoken and shown can bring.”
Julie McKnight Recently Filed To Dismiss Brian McKnight’s Defamation Lawsuit
Julie McKnight’s exclusive statement to the outlet arrives over a week after she filed a motion to dismiss Brian McKnight’s defamation lawsuit against her. On Wednesday, November 26, Julie initially filed an affidavit of non-service. In the affidavit, she asserted that she was never “properly served” with Brian’s lawsuit, or any subsequent summons, because they were delivered to incorrect addresses. Additionally, she explained that she only found out about his lawsuit against her because of a post he made on social media. Lastly, Julie asserted that her ex-husband is aware of her correct address. However, he continually chose to send documents to the wrong location.
“Because service has not been completed, this Court has not acquired personal jurisdiction over me, and I am not subject to mediation or trial deadlines,” her affidavit reads.
Subsequently, Julie also filed her official motion to dismiss. In it, she requested that the court dismiss Brian’s action and grant relief as the court sees fit.
More On What’s Been Going On Between Brian McKnight & His Family
As The Shade Room previously reported, Brian McKnight initially went viral on October 16. At the time, Brian took to Instagram to allege that he had won an $8.8 million judgment against Julie. Additionally, he made the bold claim on their late son Niko’s first heavenly birthday.
RELATED: Brian McKnight Jr. Reacts To His Dad Celebrating Allegedly Winning $8M Judgment Against Julie McKnight On His Late Brother’s Birthday
Subsequently, TSR located Brian’s lawsuit against Julie, which was filed on May 8, and accused her February-released novel ‘Mama Bear: Beautifully Blended,’ and “numerous interviews” of committing “defamation, slander, libel” against him. Furthermore, Brian accused Julie of saying he was responsible for emotional abuse and neglect, and their sons’ lack of music industry success. Ultimately, he requested a trial by jury and at least $25,000 in compensatory damages.
Furthermore, Brian alleged that he correctly served Julie with the lawsuit and should receive a default judgment for her alleged lack of response, per The Shade Room. Then, earlier this week, their eldest son, Brian McKnight Jr., revealed that Brian refused to tell Niko he loved him before he passed from cancer in May 2025. The revelation shocked social media users, but at this time, Brian has yet to publicly respond.
