Cop Claims ‘The Game’|Sucker-Punched Him

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Rapper "The Game" (Jayceon Taylor) sucker-punched a rookie cop during a pick-up basketball game, injuring his brain, then split when police were called, the man claims in court.

Onyebuchi N. Awaji sued Jayceon T. Taylor on Monday in Superior Court. He seeks punitive damages for assault and battery, negligence and emotional distress.

Awaji claims that Taylor sucker-punched him during a game of playground basketball at Hollywood High School on March 29.

He says the punch reinjured facial bones that had been operated on from a previous sports injury, and also injured his brain and neck, and gave him "probably neurological and cognitive problems," some of which will be permanent. He says he will need more facial surgery because of it.

After the punch, Awaji says, Taylor threatened his life, "while he stood with dozens of his friends backing him up."

Awaji says he was a rookie police officer on his probationary period with the LAPD when Taylor assaulted him. He claims that Taylor's life is "littered with previous accusations of wrongful conduct as well as criminal convictions," including a second-degree assault charge in 2005, and felony gun and threat charges in 2007.

And in 2011, Awaji says in the complaint, Taylor posted "an internship opportunity" on Twitter, for his 500,000 followers, and gave the L.A. Sheriff's emergency hotline as the call-back number, obstructing the emergency line for hours.

He seeks lost wages, medical expenses, and punitive damages.

He is represented with Philip Layfield, with Layfield & Wallace, of Irvine.

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