Johnny Depp Sued for Assault

LOS ANGELES (CN) – A recently filed lawsuit accuses actor Johnny Depp of assaulting a man on the set of a crime thriller about the murder investigations of rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.

According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court Friday, Depp verbally and physically assaulted Gregg “Rocky” Brooks in April 2017 while filming the movie “City of Lies” in downtown Los Angeles.

On the night of April 13, 2017, Brooks says Depp punched him twice in the ribs, and when Brooks did not react, Depp yelled, “I WILL GIVE YOU ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PUNCH ME IN THE FACE RIGHT NOW!” (caps in original)

The 21-page lawsuit claims the incident began when producer Miriam Segal asked Brooks to try to extend the hours of a filming permit to accommodate Depp, who wanted to film two friends in an extended scene.

Brooks was the location manager for the film shoot and coordinated film permits.

The crew had a filming permit from Film L.A. & Contract Services (Film LA) that allowed them to film from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in and around the Barclay Hotel on West 4^th Street, according to the complaint.

Brooks says he and Segal approached an onsite employee from Film LA, Jason Gonet, requesting and receiving two extensions. The new permit was set to expire at 11 p.m. for filming outside the Barclay and at midnight for inside filming, says Brooks.

At 10:50 p.m. Gonet reminded Brooks to tell the first assistant director, Paul Silver, that time was running out, according to the lawsuit.

It goes on to say that while Brooks told Silver, Director Brad Furman told Brooks, “Why don’t you tell that to Johhny Depp!” He suggested this knowing that Depp would not be happy about the restriction, says Brooks.

Brooks agreed to tell Depp, but he wanted to have the on-set police officer accompany him, according to the complaint. But before the officer arrived, Brooks says Depp began verbally attacking him, screaming in his face, “WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU? YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” (caps in original)

Brooks says he explained the permit deadline, but Depp continued to yell, “I DON’T GIVE A FUCK WHO YOU ARE AND YOU CAN’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” (caps in original)

Brooks says Depp continued to berate him until bodyguards – who said Depp appeared to be drinking alcohol and using drugs throughout the day on set – removed him.

According to Brooks, the production company fired him the following Monday when he refused to sign a document promising he wouldn’t sue.

Depp plays former LAPD detective Russell Poole, who investigated the murders of Shakur and Biggie Smalls, born Christopher Wallace, who were killed in similar drive-by shootings in the 1990s. The film is based on "LAbyrinth," a true crime book by Randall Sullivan.

Brooks names Depp, Segal, Furman, and the film production company in the lawsuit for assault and battery, negligence, and wrongful termination, among other counts. He’s represented by Arbella Azizian from Los Angeles-based Baker, Olson, LeCroy and Daniellian.

This isn’t the first time Depp has been in legal trouble. In May of this year, Depp’s bodyguards sued him for failing to pay overtime, claiming their jobs required them to go above and beyond normal bodyguard duties.

For example, Depp asked them to drive cars with illegal substances, open containers and minors inside, according to their complaint.

Last year, Depp went after his ex-lawyers in a suit claiming their misconduct cost him $32 million in residuals earned from films such as “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

That suit was filed the same year Depp went after his former business managers, The Management Group (TMG), and accused them of engaging in misconduct that cost him approximately $50 million.

TMG countersued and pointed to Depp’s spending habits, including $75 million on houses, $300,000 on wine monthly, and an $18 million yacht.

But according to Variety, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge threw out that portion of the countersuit, saying it would not affect the case moving forward.

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