LOS ANGELES (CN) - A record producer claims gangsters acting on Shaquille O'Neal's orders abducted and beat him to retrieve a sex tape of the former basketball having sex with "a female, not his wife."
In his Superior Court complaint, plaintiff Robert Ross acknowledges that he had "suffered prior felony convictions before his relationship with O'Neal," and says he had been "associated with" the Crips gang, "although he has not been a member for approximately 12 years."
Ross claims that in addition to having Crips kidnap and assault him, O'Neal also ordered him "to kill a member of the Downtown Gangster Crips who had disrespected O'Neal in front of his wife Shaunie ... to kill a woman whom O'Neal had impregnated and paid for her abortion ... to kill a renown [sic] record producer; and [gave Ross] an order to break an NBA player's shooting arm."
According to the lurid, 12-page complaint: "After defendant O'Neal had filed for divorce and was separated from his wife (Shaunie), plaintiff began an affair with Shaunie. When defendant O'Neal learned of this relationship between plaintiff and Shaunie, defendant O'Neal became extremely jealous and angry toward plaintiff." (Parentheses in complaint.)
Ross claims that on Feb. 11, 2008, "Because of the fear that the sex video might become public, and because of defendant O'Neal's raging jealousy toward plaintiff, defendants O'Neal and [Mark] Stevens directed and employed members of the street gang to kidnap, attack, rob and threaten plaintiff."
Stevens is described as O'Neal's business partner.
Ross claims that (nonparty) Ladell "Dog" Rowles and other Crips abducted him on Sunset Boulevard and took him to Dog's home in South Central Los Angeles on Feb. 11, 2008.
Ross claims he was threatened at gunpoint and told that O'Neal and Stevens wanted him to return the sex tape. When he agreed to hand over the tape, Ross says, he was let go.
"During the kidnapping and robbery, Stevens communicated by phone with one of the members of the street gang and emphasized that O'Neal needed to obtain the sex tape form plaintiff," the complaint states. "Unbeknownst to Stevens, the conversation was tape recorded pursuant to an FBI wiretap on the cell phone of the member of the street gang."
Ross claims that the Crips also stole jewelry, a Rolex watch and $15,000 from him.
In an interview with Courthouse News, Ross's attorney Mark Overland said Ross is "fearing for his life."
"This lawsuit is an insurance policy because it shows he's willing to put out in the open the names of the people who he believes are responsible for putting him danger," Overland said.
The Los Angeles Times reported in June that O'Neal had been "questioned" by L.A. sheriff's deputies about Ross's alleged abduction. Neither O'Neal nor Stevens have been charged.
In his complaint, Ross claims he once was O'Neal's "close personal friend and confidant."
Ross seeks punitive damages for false imprisonment-kidnapping, assault and battery, robbery-conversion of personal property and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Ross also claims that O'Neal breached a contract by failing to pay him his share of profits after he signed the singer Ray J to O'Neal's record label, Deja.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
-
Contributor-Test-Post-2024-04-12 April 12, 2024
