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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Johnny Gill Says Drunk White Man Beat Him

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Johnny Gill sued the Four Seasons Beverly Hills, claiming it failed to intervene when a drunk white man hurled racial insults at him and beat him so badly he was unable to perform.

Gill sued Four Seasons Hotels in Superior Court.

He claims he was assaulted at the Four Seasons on Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills on Aug. 23, 2011.

"Plaintiff was seated at the patio area of the dining/cocktail area with friends," the complaint states. "At approximately 11 p.m. on said date, another guest who was obviously very inebriated sitting at another table in the patio area, without provocation hurled racially charged remarks at plaintiff.

"Plaintiff is African American and this individual who uttered these racially charged negatives remarks was Caucasian.

"Plaintiff objected to these unsolicited remarks and when he did so, this individual pushed plaintiff with such force and intensity that plaintiff was thrust up against a heating lamp causing great bodily injury with resulting pain and suffering, major medical expenses and loss of earnings as plaintiff was unable to perform as an entertainer, plaintiff's extremely successful and lucrative chosen profession for over 20 years.

"At no time did defendant's security employees, staff or representative offer any assistance to plaintiff nor did any such intervene to protect plaintiff, prevent the individual from becoming inebriated and thus behaving in an unruly manner the result of which was the assault that was committed on plaintiff and the resulting injuries to plaintiff."

Gill seeks $1 million in damages for negligence, failure to intervene, failure to exercise reasonable care, pain and suffering and medical expenses.

He is represented by Michael Shapiro.

Gill, 47, is a singer, songwriter and actor.

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