R&B star Chris Brown, members of his entourage and Live Nation are facing another civil lawsuit stemming from a fight that broke out backstage after his July 19 concert in Fort Worth, Texas.
Frederick Overpeck, 58, a staff member and head of security at Dickies Arena, filed a $1 million lawsuit this week in Harris County District Court, alleging that he “was seriously injured while attempting to protect the four Chris Brown fans and their entourage,” according to the plaintiff's attorney, Tony Buzbee.
“Mr. Overpeck, who witnessed the attack, claims that the first punch was thrown by Chris Brown and that Brown directed the violence that ensued,” Buzbee said in a statement to The Times. “Mr. Overpeck is receiving treatment for a fractured neck vertebra and is now unable to work. We hope to have the video that captured the violence available very soon.”
Overpeck’s case “arises from a violent assault perpetrated by a troubled recording artist with a checkered and violent past,” according to court documents. Buzbee, who recently represented Rebecca Grossman in her murder trial in Los Angeles, was quick to point out Brown’s past troubles with the law and that members of his entourage are “known criminals” and gang members.. Their client is suing them for alleged assault and battery, negligence, gross negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The former corrections officer, who moonlights as a security supervisor, described the altercation between Brown’s entourage and fans as a “prison yard beating” that occurred “without justifiable provocation.” He said Brown and his paid entourage “brutally and severely beat four fans who were attending a VIP gathering.”
Those four fans — Larry Parker, Joseph Lewis, Charles Bush and Damarcus Powell — filed a $50 million lawsuit Monday against Brown, his entourage and Live Nation and obtained a temporary restraining order.
They also sought a temporary injunction prohibiting the defendants — Brown, Live Nation, Sinko Ceej, Hood Boss and Yella Beezy — from deleting or altering documents and data related to the July 19 incident, according to court documents obtained by The Times.
In the new lawsuit, Overpeck alleges that while working security at Brown’s “11:11” concert, he saw Brown throw the first punch and attempted to intervene to stop the violence. But Overpeck “was thrown out of the way, while at the same time Brown was yelling racist slurs, demanding that his entourage join in and beat the four fans,” the suit says.
“One of the fans being beaten, Larry Parker, while attempting to escape, somehow managed to get to a staircase and was cornered by the group, falling to the ground in a fetal position,” the suit says, echoing the lawsuit that was filed against the defendants earlier this week. “Brown and others chased Parker, surrounded him, and began kicking and stomping him. [Overpeck]Trying to do everything possible to avoid violence, he stood between the victim, Parker, and most of the attackers.
“Unfortunately, the attackers, including Brown, did not stop the violence. Instead, they continued to kick and stomp on the victim Parker, and in the process repeatedly kicked Parker. [Overpeck] “In addition, he was severely injured. Notably, one of Brown's crew members threw his 300-pound body onto Parker and Plaintiff before he was ultimately dragged away,” the suit says.
Overpeck “narrowly escaped” and helped Parker escape the “brutal assault,” the lawsuit says, and the security staffer’s actions “likely prevented further injury or even death to those targeted by Brown’s wrath.” According to the documents, Overpeck suffered “crippling injuries to his neck,” is unable to work and will need to undergo “extensive medical treatment for the damage he sustained in the attack, including to his neck, back and hip.”
Representatives for Brown and Live Nation did not immediately respond to The Times' requests for comment Thursday.
