A photographer sued Christina Aguilera on Tuesday claiming he was spat upon and beaten up by her bodyguard after he snapped an unflattering picture of her leaving a Hollywood nightclub.
Celebrity photographer David Keeler claimed in the suit filed in Los Angeles that he was taking pictures of stars as they left a trendy club on May 21 last year when he saw Aguilera emerge from inside at around 2am.
He alleged in his suit that he snapped pictures of the Grammy-winning artist who "appeared to be intoxicated and needed assistance walking to the car".
As the star's car sped off, Aguilera's bodyguard Vernon Warren allegedly spat on Keeler and punched him in the mouth before telling him he needed to "learn respect", the photographer claimed.
Keeler was "dazed, in pain and bloodied" in the attack, but Warren nonetheless asked or hired another man to strike Keeler again, the suit alleged.
Keeler was told that he was not wanted there and was punched in the face again and then in the back, the suit stated.
The snapper named Aguilera as one of the defendants in the suit that also targeted AD Entertainment and Three Wishes Tour Inc, which he claimed hired Warren as a bodyguard.
Keeler alleges that Warren was encouraged to "harass, intimidate, assault and batter photographers taking what defendants deemed to be photographs unflattering to defendant Aguilera".
The defendants "instructed and encouraged Warren to utilise physical force, regardless of whether it was warranted, while acting in the course and scope of his employment", the suit stated.
The photographer is seeking unspecified damages and punitive damages.
(from: iafrica.com) |
