Published: Friday - November 30, 2007
Words by Allen Starbury
Akon (Photo: SRC / Universal)
Crooner Akon has been officially charged in the highly publicized fan-tossing incident that took place in the summer in New York, after the fan said she suffered a concussion when the boy who was tossed off the stage by the singer landed on her.
According to the Associated Press, Akon is scheduled to appear in Fishkill Town Court on Monday morning (December 3) to be arraigned on a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor, and second-degree harassment.
The singer was caught on video back in June where he was seen tossing a fan off the stage into the crowd wile he performed at the Annual KFEST concert at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, New York.
"Given the information that we have reviewed to date, it does not appear to us that Akon was involved in any criminal conduct whatsoever," Akon's attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said in a statement in June. "We are prepared to fully cooperate with any law enforcement agency that may be investigating this incident. We are confident that after a thorough investigation it will be apparent that no criminal prosecution of Akon is warranted."
During the video footage, a small object was tossed toward the singer, which prompted him to say, "Oh, wait a minute. What was that?" He then urged the crowd to "point him out, point him out. Who is he?"
Once the crowd identified the alleged culprit, Akon is seen telling a security guard to "go get him," followed by a 15-year-old being picked up by security and sent him up to the stage, where Akon hoisted him onto his shoulders and flung him into the crowd.
The AP reports that the boy landed on Abby Rosa, who told the Poughkeepsie Journal she was later found to have a concussion. She said she has hired a lawyer and spoken to Fishkill police.
The Fishkill incident wasn't the first concert trouble Akon got into this year. In April, Akon drew widespread criticism for performing on-stage simulated sex with a 14-year-old girl at a concert in Trinidad.
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