Photographer Sues Chris Brown & Rihanna For $1 Million
Published: Wednesday - December 3, 2008
Words by Liz "Red" Thomas
Rihanna and Chris Brown (Photo: Getty Images)
A Florida photographer, who claims that Chris Brown and Rihanna's security attacked him earlier this year, filed a lawsuit against the young couple on Tuesday (December 2), seeking more than $1 million in damages.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, 26-year-old photographer Luis Santana claims that during a private party for Brown's 19th birthday in St. Petersburg, Florida earlier this year, he was chased down by security guards and forced to the ground when he snapped photos of the teen pop star in their limo while leaving.
"This is America. It's called the First Amendment. If you’re in public, you're subject to being photographed," said the photog's attorney, Paul Kimsey. "Everyone is, celebrity or not."
During the altercation, he claims one security guard put his knee on his jaw and when he tried to push it away, the guards took his camera, worth about $3,000.
In addition to the pricey camera, Santana's lawyer told the paper that the photog's most significant loss was the actual photo he snapped of both Brown and Rihanna, explaining that it was worth a lot since it was evidence of their relationship before they were more open to the public about it.
"I just don't want them to get away with it," Santana said to the paper. "That's not right. I wasn't doing anything wrong."
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