Busta Rhymes has been ordered to pay 100,000 dollars (£50,000) to a fan who claimed the star attacked him, the man's lawyer has said.
Melvin Smith sued Rhymes in March, alleging he and a bodyguard beat him after he asked for an autograph in New York in 2005.
His lawyer, Bruce Regenstreich, said that after Rhymes repeatedly ignored the suit, a court-appointed referee found he and Troy Green civilly liable for the assault and awarded the damages.
Green was charged criminally over the alleged incident but 34-year-old Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was not.
According to the suit the pair "without any just cause or provocation, maliciously assaulted, beat, pushed, and shoved (Smith) and beat him".
Mr Smith needed four stitches for a wound below his eye and still has a scar, Mr Regenstreich said.
He added: "We served Busta Rhymes (with the suit) in every location that we had for him. He just ignored the summonses."
A judge approved the damages figure last month, Mr Regenstreich said.
Rhymes's lawyer, Scott Leemon, had no comment on the case. [Source]
Meanwhile in other assault news....
Tyrese Denies Assault
The attorney representing the girlfriend of singer/actor Tyrese Gibson has issued a statement in response to an altercation that allegedly occurred at a Los Angeles home last Thursday night.
According to the woman's attorney, "Reports that Tyrese punched my client -- his girlfriend -- in the arm, thigh or anywhere else are false. It is true, Mr. Gibson and his girlfriend had been arguing. She became very emotional and distressed during the argument and called 911 in an attempt to get a mediator. Mr. Gibson, frustrated, left the home. My client, Mr. Gibson's girlfriend, who is 11 weeks pregnant, then became more upset and began throwing up. When the paramedics arrived, concerned about the baby, they took her to the hospital. Fortunately, she was fine. Once at the hospital, she was asked by a nurse whether she had been assaulted. She said no. She was then asked what her pain level was on a scale of zero to ten. She said zero. She then discharged herself. Mr. Gibson and his girlfriend are very much still in love, together and excited about their expectant child. She is quite saddened that this event was so distorted."
Police are,however, still "interested" in speaking to Tyrese about the incident.
[Source: TMZ]
Go figure!
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