Chris Brown Threw First Punch In Backstage Brawl, Security Guard Claims In Second Lawsuit
Chris Brown and Yella Beezy are reportedly facing a second lawsuit relating to an alleged altercation backstage at a Fort Worth concert after a security guard sued for $15 million over injuries he claims to have sustained while stopping the brawl.
Rolling Stone reports legal documents reveal that 58-year-old security guard Frederick R. Overpeck was working at the Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth on July 20. He was tasked with providing security for the backstage meet-and-greet, the scene of the alleged fight, which Overpeck described as a “prison yard beat down.”
According to court documents, Chris Brown ordered Yella Beezy and other members of his crew to attack the four men suing the pair, leading the attack by throwing the first punch. The suit alleges Overpeck tried intervening, but he was thrown to the side.
Overpeck’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, also represents the plaintiffs in the original complaint.
Lawsuit States Chris Brown & Others Continued Attack After Security Guard Intervened
“This was an unprovoked attack and Chris Brown not only directed it, he threw the first punch,” Buzbee told the publication. “We will use the full force and weight of the court system to obtain justice here.”
In his lawsuit, Overpeck recalled one of the plaintiffs, Larry Parker, tried to escape but was blocked by a locked door.
“Plaintiff, attempting to do all he could to prevent the violence, got himself in between the victim Parker and most of the attackers,” the suit reads.
However, the alleged attackers, including Brown, did not stop the beating. The suit states the group continued to kick and stomp Parker, severely injuring Overpeck in the process before he was able to help Parker escape.
According to the complaint, Overpeck sustained multiple injuries and was signed off work for “a severely injured hip, but also a diagnosed cracked vertebrae in his neck.”
The new lawsuit names Brown, Yella Beezy and other members of his entourage alongside Live Nation as defendants. Overpeck reportedly seeks $15 million in damages, citing assault and battery, negligence/gross negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Overpeck’s complaint follows the original $50 million suit, filed by Parker and three other plaintiffs.