T.I. Being Sued By a Man Claiming He Was Held 12 Hours & Beaten By Grand Hustle Associates
Top Stories | hiphopucit | November 11, 2010 at 2:46 pm
The news for imprisoned rapper T.I. got a bit worse this week after a studio technician named Norris Gresham filed suit against the King of the South. The claim involves a September 8 incident at an Atlanta recording studio in which Gresham says he was held hostage for 12 hours and beaten by Tip’s associates over a missing necklace.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gresham claims in papers filed Monday in Fulton County State Court that although T.I. (born Clifford Harris) was not present during the assault at Echo Studios — a facility owned by the rapper — Tip was allegedly sent e-mails, texts and videos as it was happening and thus is responsible for the attack.
Along with T.I., the suit names a number of his associates and Grand Hustle team members, including rapper Jonathan “Spodee” Carle, Terrance “Cap” Beasley, Nathaniel “Mac Boney” Josey, Michael “Mike Bigga” Render and Cortez “C-Rod” Thomas, a convicted felon who was in the car in Los Angeles with T.I. on September 1 when the rapper was arrested on drug charges that sent him back to jail this month.
The suit claims that Render, formerly known by the stage name Killer Mike, was unable to find his gold diamond-encrusted chain and medallion in the studio. While the crew searched for it, they allegedly held Gresham captive for 12 hours, threatening and interrogating him about the jewelry.
It also claims that while Render sent out text messages offering a “1k reward for information regarding the item,” Josey sent texts and e-mails to T.I. updating him on the situation at Echo Studios. The necklace and medallion were eventually found hidden in the ceiling and Carle suspected that Gresham had told Render that Carle had stolen it.
“Spodee became upset and disturbed,” the lawsuit alleges, and moments later, Carle is said to have pulled out a gun and threatened to kill Gresham. The suit then says that Beasley persuaded Carle to beat up Gresham instead. Beasley and Josey then allegedly pushed Gresham down a flight of stairs and Carle assaulted him, knocking out two teeth.
According to the lawsuit, Echo studio manager Thomas used his cell phone to record the attack and forward the video to T.I., who, the suit alleges,
“did nothing to stop or prevent the assault.”
A spokesperson for Tip had no comment when reached by MTV News about the suit. Just three weeks after the alleged incident, T.I. was ordered to return to prison for 11 months for violating his probation from a 2007 federal gun case in light of the drug arrest in Los Angeles.
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