Tech Says Hip Hop Crew Beat Him

ATLANTA (CN) - A recording technician claims rapper T.I.'s crew beat him, threatened him with a gun and held him hostage for more 12 hours because of a missing gold chain. Norris Gresham Jr. claims he was assaulted on Sept. 8 at Echo Studios, which is part-owned by T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr. Gresham says Harris was not there when he was assaulted.

In his complaint in Fulton County State Court, Gresham says one of Harris's employees, Cortez Thomas aka C Rod, recorded the assault on his cell phone and sent it to the rapper. Gresham Jr. claims Harris did nothing to stop the assault.

Gresham claims the incident began when defendant Mike Render aka Killa Mike found that a gold and diamond neck chain and medallion were missing.

This began a 12-hour search and interrogation, in which Render accused Gresham of stealing the jewelry, according to the complaint. Gresham says that while he was being held against his will, Render sent text messages to several people, telling them about the missing jewelry and offering $1,000 for its return.

Another Harris assistant, Nathaniel Josey aka Mac Boney, texted and e-mailed the rapper "advising him as to the events surrounding the lost or misplaced chain-medallion, including the fact the plaintiff was being held against his will in the building," according to the complaint.

The jewelry eventually was found in the ceiling of the building, Gresham says. He claims that defendant Jonathan Carle aka Spodee, who was there, had either hidden it or who knew that it had been hidden. Gresham claims that Spodee "appeared with a gun that he apparently had also hidden, pointed the gun at the plaintiff and threatened to kill the plaintiff."

Defendant Terance Beasley aka Cap, another Harris employee, took the gun from Spodee, Gresham says. He claims Spodee was encouraged to "beat the plaintiff rather than shoot him." Gresham claims Spodee lay in wait in a secured locked area, and Cap and Mac Boney pushed him downstairs and Spodee beat him, knocking his front teeth out and causing a contusion and bruises "throughout his body."

T.I. recently returned to prison for 11 months for violating his probation with a drug charge, according to press reports. He served a year in prison for a 2007 weapons charge and had been released on probation months ago.

Gresham, who is represented by Antonio L. Thomas, seeks punitive damages.

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