Kanye West Sued for Assault and Battery
Kanye West is being sued for assault and battery over an alleged 2022 incident said to have left an autograph hunter disfigured.
Incident Details
The 46-year-old rapper — who recently apologised for his string of anti-Semitic outbursts that saw him dropped from his money-spinning brand deals — is said in court documents to have repeatedly punched Justin Poplawski after he asked the singer for his signature.
Allegations According to Court Documents
Documents obtained by TMZ say the alleged victim claimed he was attacked on Jan 13, 2022, while he was waiting outside a hotel to get Kanye’s autograph.
Threats Before the Assault
He claims the rapper told him to get lost “before I beat you up”.
The rapper then allegedly threatened to “make an example out of” Justin.
History of Interactions
Justin had previously gotten Kanye’s signature without any issues, and is alleging the musician went on to strike him and asked: “So do you want to get attacked for real?”
Severity of the Assault
The dad-of-four, who has his kids with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, 43, then allegedly struck him several times more, “severely injuring him” after Justin requested an apology for the first blow.
Post-Assault Actions
Kanye then allegedly told one of his associates to go to the house and get his children despite them apparently urging him to stop.
Damages Sought by Victim
The alleged victim is now seeking an unspecified amount of damages to cover the medical bills due to his alleged disfigurement, lost earnings and mental pain and suffering.
Legal Outcome
Kanye’s alleged attack was initially investigated but the rapper was not charged after the LA City Attorney’s Office decided there was “no reasonable likelihood of conviction”.
Defense by Kanye’s Lawyer
The rapper’s lawyer Michael Goldstein told Page Six at the time the conclusion proved Kanye “did nothing wrong”.
He also insisted “video and photographs provided to the City Attorney’s office confirmed that this particular individual followed my client to three different locations over a short period of time and ultimately waited for him at his hotel where he approached my client at 3am.”
The attorney added: “He once again entered my client’s personal space, which was unacceptable.”
Aftermath of the Incident
There was no video of the alleged assault, but TMZ later obtained footage of the moments after the incident which showed Kanye shouting while an unidentified male lay on the ground.
Kanye could also be heard telling a female staff member of his to “get away” from him as she seemingly tried to calm him down.
Kanye’s Remarks on the Autograph Hunter
The rapper told Hollywood Unlocked Justin “wasn’t a fan” but rather someone “taking autographs to make money on them”.
He never admitted to striking Justin, and added: “It was 3am in front of the warehouse, and this dude just… he just had this real attitude, like, ‘Whatchu gonna do?’ And see that? I’mma just tell you, that blue Covid-19 mask ain’t stop that knockout, you know what I’m saying?”
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