French Montana is reportedly being sued for negligence over a shooting incident during the filming of a music video in January that left 10 injured.
Rolling Stone reports that a lawsuit against the rapper was filed on Monday (March 20) for USD $50,000 by alleged shooting victim Carl Leon. Leon was reportedly injured in the shooting, claiming that he suffered “great bodily injury, pain, mental anguish, and the loss of the capacity for the enjoyment of life”.
The lawsuit also named Montana’s Coke Boys Records, The Licking (the restaurant where the shooting occured), and property owner Gayles Plaza as defendants alongside Montana.
“All Defendants failed to properly plan and conduct the music video production in a safe manner. Instead, they consciously ignored the extreme risks of harm to its participants, including [Leon],” claims Leon via the lawsuit.
Leon also claimed that the music video was originally being filmed at a separate unnamed location, before that spot was compromised after an “altercation and robbery” occured, after which Montana and the production crew moved the filming to The Licking. Neither The Licking nor its property owner have commented on the lawsuit.
Leon’s attorney Josiah Graham said in a statement to Rolling Stone: “It was an extremely unfortunate situation that led to multiple people suffering serious injuries. The most egregious thing is that people were beaten up and robbed at this video shoot and the [production] did not shut down. Montana continued the video shoot, moved it across the street, and those assailants returned and shot the place up. Things like that should not be able to go on”.
The lawsuit also alleged that upon further investigation, Montana’s team had failed to get the required permits to film the video and ensure a safe set. Responding to the news of the shooting on January 6, Montana said in a tweet that he was “celebrating the release of [his ‘Coke Boys 6’ mixtape with] friends at a local restaurant” when the incident occurred.
Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time
— French Montana (@FrencHMonTanA) January 6, 2023
“We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts [and] prayers are [with] the victims [and] families at this time,” “We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt,” he said.
French Montana’s representative Ted Anastasiou has since denied his client had any responsibility for the incident. “Carl Leon was never invited to the restaurant at the night of the incident,” said Anastasiou to Rolling Stone. “His interest in litigation is solely to exploit and benefit financially from it, and his re-imagining of his invitation and current statements are simply an egregious profit play and publicity stunt.”
“Beyond rejecting Mr. Leon and his counsel’s claims, we implore them to take a good, long look in the mirror and ask whether their loved ones would respect them for trying to make a buck by blatantly lying,” Anastasiou added.
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