Justin Bieber's Bodyguard Asks To Halt Civil Lawsuit Because He Is Under Criminal Investigation
April 2 2014, Published 7:09 a.m. ET
The man tasked with protecting pop brat Justin Bieber has asked a Miami judge to delay a civil lawsuit against him because he is under criminal investigation in connection with the alleged assault of a photographer, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.
According to documents filed in the case, lawyers for Biebers’ muscle, Hugo Hesny, revealed how the shutterbug at the center of the case, Jeffrey Binion, has filed a formal criminal complaint with the Miami Dade Police Department and the Miami Dade State's Attorney's Office.
"As a result, Hesny is currently under investigation… regarding the same allegations in the civil case,” the attorneys said in a filing.
“Baby” singer Bieber has been accused of ordering an assault on the photographer and gave a sullen and petulant deposition that was captured on video.
Hesny's deposition was set for May 6, 2014.
But Hesny has begged a judge on the grounds that "allowing his civil case to proceed while his criminal investigation is pending violates his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination."
On Tuesday, the photographer's attorney, Mark DiCowden, told a judge that he has documented at least 11 similar alleged assaults against photographers over two years involving Bieber and his security personnel.
DiCowden said a punitive damage award for Jeffrey Binion could deter future assaults against celebrity photographers, known as "paparazzi."
"It's not a financial fishing expedition," DiCowden said in asking Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel to allow him to pursue unspecified punitive damages.
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"It is well known around the world that Justin Bieber does not like to be photographed in public.”
In what could be an interesting twist of fate, Bieber‘s on-again-off-again girlfriend Selena Gomez will be served with a subpoena in the SAME case, ordering her to sit for her own deposition.
DiCowden previously told Radar: “I will be serving Selena Gomez next week. She witnessed Justin Bieber attack a photographer back in 2012.”
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During Bieber's contentious deposition in the case, he stormed out of the proceedings after warning the lawyers for the plaintiff not to ask him any questions about Gomez, 21.
A judge has yet to rule on Hesny’s request.