(AllHipHop News) When news hit the net that a Wu-Tang member had cut his penis off during an acid trip and then jumped off a balcony, Hip-Hop fans world-wide cringed and were in shock.
While it wasn’t one of the original 9 members of the Wu-Tang Clan, it was erroneously reported by TMZ (and a host of other media outlets) that it was Marques Johnson, aka Andre Roxx a member of the Wu-affiliated Killa Beez.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, this incorrect reporting by TMZ has resulted in Andre Roxx suing TMZ in what is now likely a costly case of mistaken identity.
In confusing Marques Johnson and Andre Johnson, TMZ also unknowingly implicated a host of other outlets that picked up on the story.
iHeartMedia, Warner Bros., Viacom and Gannet are all co-defendants in this case, accused of adding fuel to the fire and damaging Andre Roxx reputation and career.
“TMZ’s original, inaccurate story immediately spread across the Internet and to television and radio news,” read a complaint in federal court based in Delaware.
“Even after TMZ posted a corrected story, and after other media outlets had made some effort to correct their stories, Defendants continued to report the same false information — that Plaintiff had cut off his penis and jumped off a balcony, and to this day no Defendant other than TMZ has even corrected the story.”
Even the Wu-Tang Clan cut ties with Marques Johnson aka Andre Roxx after the incident posting to their blog site, “This m********* ain’t got s*** to do with the WUTANG brand.”
TMZ has since corrected the story – more on this as news develops.