Patti LaBelle Airport Attack Case Reopened
Some mistakes might have been made during an investigation into the Patti LaBelle airport attack.
Richard King, 23, is now suing the singer, alleging that he was beaten by her security guards on her command. LaBelle's bodyguards had originally told Houston police that King was intoxicated and he instigated the attack by throwing the first punch, reports Fox News. King was named as a suspect in the original police investigation.
However, King's attorneys have now released some surveillance footage of the incident which seems to paint an entirely different story, reports KRIV-TV.
The recently-released footage shows King waiting at the airport. LaBelle is seen exiting the terminal with her security guards and luggage, and heads into her waiting limo.
Her bodyguards then attack King, throwing him against a stone pillar. King eventually falls onto the ground. Houston police responded, and King was taken away on a stretcher. Then, LaBelle exits the limo to take photos with the responding police officers and fans - with a pool of blood at her feet, reports KRIV-TV.
King was taken to the hospital afterwards, where he was diagnosed with a concussion, reports The Guardian. LaBelle believed that King was standing too close to her luggage - which is why she rolled down the window of her limo to "command" her bodyguards, according to the lawsuit.
King, a West Point cadet, was kicked out of school when Houston police called West Point to inform them of the incident, reports KTRK-TV.
No charges were filed against King, according to KTRK-TV. Usually, after an arrest or investigation, the police will create a report which will be forwarded to the prosecutor's office. There, the prosecutors will either file a complaint with the appropriate court with the charges, or present it to a grand jury, depending on the jurisdiction.
The Houston police department is now reopening the investigation on the Patti LaBelle airport attack, likely ushered on by the release of the surveillance footage.
Related Resources:
- Patti LaBelle Lawsuit Plaintiff Speaks (My Fox Houston)
- Cadet suing Patti LaBelle talks to ABC13 (KTRK-TV)
- What Happens When You're Charged with a Crime (FindLaw)
- Oprah Reaches Legal Settlement in Defamation Lawsuit (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)