Patti LaBelle's bodyguards beat up a West Point cadet at IAH, HPD poses for pictures

fixed

 

Who the hell is Patti LaBelle?

The cadet is winning this case unless more evidence comes out to show the cadet actually did something wrong.

 

He should win the case, that video is pretty damning for Labelle and her bodyguards...they should do some hard time.

DD

 

I don't think it's stupid at all to consider that King may have legally been the aggressor in this case. He shouldn't have got that kind of beat down but he is far from an innocent victim.

2 reasons consider my vantage point:

1. I was a cop for 5 years
2. I toured with a Diva for 3 years as her opening act.

The Diva I worked with was paid in cash only, there were several times I went into her hotel room to get paid and saw suitcases full of money that she traveled with during her tours. She also traveled with an abundance of very expensive jewelery which was also housed in suitcases. Her bodyguards were all ex-cops and I saw similar situations unfold with overzealous fans, but again in the LeBelle case I thought the force was excessive.

From the video I honestly saw King show the first sign of physical aggression, and even if it's an extended arm that is enough resistance for the bodyguards to use force. He was in their space.

§ 9.42. DEADLY FORCE TO PROTECT PROPERTY. A person is
justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or
tangible, movable property:
(1) if he would be justified in using force against the
other under Section 9.41; and
(2) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the
deadly force is immediately necessary:
(A) to prevent the other's imminent commission of
arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the
nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime; or
(B) to prevent the other who is fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated
robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the
property; and
(3) he reasonably believes that:
(A) the land or property cannot be protected or
recovered by any other means; or
(B) the use of force other than deadly force to
protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or
another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

Use of Self defense

(4) if the actor provoked the other's use or attempted use of unlawful force, unless

(A) the actor abandons the encounter, or clearly communicates to the other his intent to do so reasonably believing he cannot safely abandon the encounter; and

(B) the other nevertheless continues or attempts to use unlawful force against the actor; or

They were protecting their property, and according to the video King never abandoned the encounter, or intended to abandon the encounter.

Certainly excessive force will come into play, but again, King is much more culpable than the tone of this thread would indicate.

 

Thank god we have jury trials to make up for the "Extended arm" defense....lol.

DD

 

If I was trying to protect to my property and you "extended your arm" towards me abstract to my defense, I would likely kick your ass. And that my friend would never even make it to trial.

 

I take DD in that fight

 

Yeah, an extended arm while a guy is holding his cell phone with the other arm is clearly an overt act of aggression.

No offense AB, but a former cop and body guard attempting to stick up for what happened on that video, is damned funny.....

DD

 

I take Another Brother and would like to bet $$$$$$$

 

He was in their space? HE GOT THERE FIRST.

 

I think the extended arm can much more easily be interpreted as self-defense from an oncoming much-larger bodyguard than an act of aggression that warranted a beating in response.

 

Sorry, AB, but I've got to agree with DD on this. (did I really just say that??)

I don't buy the "in their space" argument, otherwise anyone would have free reign to kick the living **** out of anyone else they perceived as being "in their space". LaBelle doesn't own that airport and that kid is allowed to wait for his ride in the waiting area just like anyone else. We're talking about Patti LaBelle here, not President Obama. LOL.

He may have been an obnoxious drunk, but that doesn't warrant anything more than the bodyguards pushing him away and leaving. If somebody comes at me in a threatening manner and I put my arm up to stop them, I don't think that qualifies as making the first move.

 

<a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/not sure if serious/bigbadvoo/NotSureIfSerious.jpg?o=9" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/bigbadvoo/NotSureIfSerious.jpg" border="0"></a>

 

Like I said, the beat down was unnecessary but until proven otherwise the "extended arm" will play a large role.

Bear in mind, cops have shot people for far less...and got away with it.

edit.

 

Double fail ^

 

They weren't cops. Do body guards have any more legal standing than any other citizen waiting outside the airport?

 

No apologies necessary, you know us. Their aggression didn't start with him standing there it began with what looks like him putting his hands on them.

So am I to understand that given his behavior that the bodyguards should have said, "excuse me sir. as we have obviously placed our bags in the way of your stagger we will proceed to move them in some other space that you have avoided. please accept our most sincere apologies"

 

but some don't and get fired...

teh unnecessary beatdown will play a larger role.

 

The fallacy in your argument is this is not what Patti LaBelle and guards reported to police. They stated that King got into her limo, verbally harrassed members of her entourage and hit her driver.

The video clearly shows that there was no time for King to possibly do all these things from the point that you see him stumble to the location of the scene for him to have entered the vehicle, harrassed the people in it and physically attack the driver.

This is the same report that got him kicked out of West Point.

While I think King should have known that getting intoxicated in a public place could put him at risk of disciplinary action from his school if he did get in trouble, the level of negligence of both the guards and the cops is staggering (This being proven by HPD reopening the investigation and disciplining the officers on the scene).

As to your extended arm arguement. The guard lunges at him first. King does extend his arm to push himself back (and he continues to back pedal showing that he was attempting to leave the situation) only to be met by a punch to the face and a his head getting a personal escort to the pillar by 3 ill-trained buffoons.