A St. Petersburg Times photographer is suing Chris Brown and Rihanna for $1 million, saying their bodyguards attacked him as he was taking pictures of them outside a club earlier this year.
The complaint, filed Tuesday in Pinellas County Circuit Court, also names three of Brown's bodyguards and Vintage Ultra Lounge, alleging the St. Petersburg, Fla. club did not have adequate security.
Photographer Luis Santana was at the club about 2:30 a.m. on May 6 when he snapped a picture of Chris and Rihanna in the parking lot. Chris, who was in town to celebrate his 19th birthday, and his bodyguards came out of a black limousine and chased Santana through the lot.
One bodyguard grabbed Santana by the collar and tore off his shirt. Two others then knocked Santana down, took his $3,000 camera and kicked him.
"I couldn't believe it was happening," Santana said. "I've done this many, many times before and never have I ever gotten close to being grabbed. There's a dark side to celebrities and nightlife."
"I don't think celebrities should be able to fly in to Tampa, beat up on our local newspaper photographers and get away with it," said Paul Kimsey, Santana's attorney. "He didn't do anything wrong."
"This is America. It's called the First Amendment. If you're in public, you're subject to being photographed. Everyone is, celebrity or not."
Chris'attorney, Kenneth Meiselas, said "neither Chris Brown nor his security was involved in the alleged incident."
We'll wait and see and this is settled for an "undisclosed" amount. You know how these celebrities do.
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