June 29, 2011

Link

Veteran R&B diva Patti LaBelle says in a countersuit filed against a West Point cadet who claims she ordered her bodyguards to beat him up outside a Houston airport terminal that the altercation began after the cadet hurled racial insults at her.

But an attorney for the cadet, Richard King, denied his client ever said any racial slurs to LaBelle.

King's attorneys say he was waiting to be picked up by family outside one of the terminals at Bush Intercontinental Airport on March 11 when three of LaBelle's bodyguards attacked him without provocation.

King, who was in his hometown of Houston while on spring break from West Point, filed his lawsuit earlier this month, naming LaBelle, the three bodyguards, one of whom is the singer's son, and two others as defendants.

King's lawyers say the alleged attacked resulted in a concussion and lingering dizziness and headaches for the cadet. A surveillance video from the airport that was previously released by King's attorneys shows the 23-year-old cadet being pushed and punched by two men and a woman, all alleged to be LaBelle's bodyguards.

LaBelle has filed a countersuit, accusing the cadet of attacking her bodyguards after he directed profane and racial slurs toward the singer.

In the countersuit, LaBelle's lawyers accuse King of being intoxicated, staggering around outside the terminal, screaming obscenities and trying to enter the singer's limousine.

King was politely asked to walk away from the vehicle, according to the countersuit. King's attorneys have said the cadet had a few drinks on the flight to Houston but denied he was intoxicated.

"King directed profane and racial slurs towards LaBelle. When LaBelle's son (Zuri Edwards) heard the profanity and racial epithets, he informed King that the woman in the limousine was his mother," the suit said. "Without warning or provocation, King violently and deliberately punched Edwards in the face."

The surveillance video, which has no audio, shows King talking on a cell phone when one of LaBelle's bodyguards appeared to push up against him. It appeared that King then pushed him back. King's attorneys have said King did not push back but was protecting himself from a punch. The bodyguards told Houston police King attacked them.

King's attorney, John Raley, said LaBelle's claim that the cadet hurled racial slurs at her is part of her "attack" on "an innocent man by telling the same false story they told the police."

"Several eyewitnesses saw and clearly heard the incident. The counter-claim is completely without merit," Raley said in a statement.

The case, which was originally filed in Houston state civil court, has been moved to federal court by LaBelle's attorneys, Raley said.

The initial police investigation named King as the suspect in the case. But since the lawsuit was filed, the Houston police department reopened its investigation and it is also looking into the actions of two officers who were seen on the surveillance video taking photos with LaBelle after the alleged beating.

Raley said the incident was reported to West Point, which suspended the cadet for at least one year and ordered him to go on active duty.

King's lawsuit and LaBelle's countersuit are asking for unspecified damages. LaBelle's singing career has spanned more than four decades and includes several hit records and two Grammy Awards.

mmmmh, don't no what to believe, but i think bodyguards are there for defence, not to attack. Accoring to the video, i never saw Patti Labelle in a dangerous situation.

robertlove said:

mmmmh, don't no what to believe, but i think bodyguards are there for defence, not to attack. Accoring to the video, i never saw Patti Labelle in a dangerous situation.

But then again (and this doesn't excuse Patti's bodyguards for whatever they did wrong by any means), if a person called a black woman a "n****er", there is a very excellent possibility that same person would get a massive beatdown.

He didnt do shit..she can hang that mess up right now...

All of those opinions are great.....court requires PROOF on either side.

Graycap23 said:

All of those opinions are great.....court requires PROOF on either side.

If this was the case they should have said that from the beginning. Going to wait this much to say that...Really? YEah there will have to be proof in this matter...from what I seen...I am not believing this mess. He was minding his business on his phone as far as I'm concerned.

Note to Patti: You can't order your security detail to beat the snot out of some punk for alledging using a racial epithet, even if he richly deserved it. That's assault and battery.

Identity said:

Note to Patti: You can't order your security detail to beat the snot out of some punk for alledging using a racial epithet, even if he richly deserved it. That's assault and battery.

I don't believe her but I'm over it lol

Just settle this and move on.

Timmy84 said:

I don't believe her but I'm over it lol

Just settle this and move on.

Me neither and yes, DEFINITELY over that b.s.!

paisleypark4 said:

Graycap23 said:

All of those opinions are great.....court requires PROOF on either side.

If this was the case they should have said that from the beginning. Going to wait this much to say that...Really? YEah there will have to be proof in this matter...from what I seen...I am not believing this mess. He was minding his business on his phone as far as I'm concerned.

And you know this how? Do you have satellite or some kind of audio to know exactly

what was said? Let the court decide before you persecute Mrs. Labelle.

TonyVanDam said:

robertlove said:

mmmmh, don't no what to believe, but i think bodyguards are there for defence, not to attack. Accoring to the video, i never saw Patti Labelle in a dangerous situation.

But then again (and this doesn't excuse Patti's bodyguards for whatever they did wrong by any means), if a person called a black woman a "n****er", there is a very excellent possibility that same person would get a massive beatdown.

Yeah, but that's my point, bodyguards are their to keep the order and protect....although somebody might deserve it, it's not the bodyguard's job to give a massive beatdown. Remember, their are doing their job and their job is not attacking people.

Poof be gone drag queen. This woman is sickening and phoney.

She was so fake on the BET awards and has no shame for the ruining of this young man's life.