Kanye West Faces Legal Battle Over Alleged Assault on ‘Autograph Dealer’ in Los Angeles
Renowned rapper Kanye West is now entangled in a legal dispute as he faces accusations of assaulting an autograph seeker in Los Angeles two years ago. Documents obtained by The Blast on January 9 revealed that Justin Poplawski, along with his wife Tiffany Marshall, has enlisted the services of prominent attorney Gloria Allred to file a lawsuit against Ye. The suit includes allegations of assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and loss of consortium.
The incident in question, which occurred on January 13, 2022, near the Soho Warehouse in DTLA, reportedly involved Kanye West striking Poplawski twice, once in the head and once in the neck, leading to him falling to the ground. Poplawski, who identifies as a “well-respected autograph dealer,” asserts in the legal documents that he had previously obtained an autograph from Kanye without any issues. However, during this encounter, West allegedly made aggressive remarks, threatening to “make a fucking example” out of him and referencing his divorce from Kim Kardashian.
Poplawski claims that Kanye physically assaulted him while he was “lawfully standing on public property,” resulting in severe injuries. The lawsuit does not currently specify the sought-after amount in damages.
In an interview with Hollywood Unlocked’s Jason Lee shortly after the 2022 incident, Kanye West presented his perspective on the altercation. He explained that he had just finished studio sessions and received distressing news from his cousins regarding parenting matters with Kim Kardashian. Kanye asserted that Poplawski displayed attitude after being told it wasn’t an opportune time, leading to the confrontation.
Despite Kanye’s account of the events, the lawsuit raises questions about the nature of the alleged assault, and the legal proceedings are set to unfold as both parties present their sides in court.
