Kanye West allegedly won’t pay or speak to a lawyer representing him in an assault and battery lawsuit. According to MyNewsLA, attorney Brian Brumfield asked Los Angeles County Judge Theresa Traber to be removed from Ye’s case on Monday (July 1).
“Defendant … will not speak to counsel and defendant refuses to pay counsel as well,” the lawyer wrote in a court filing.
An autograph seeker named Justin Poplawski sued Kanye for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and loss of consortium in January 2024. Kanye allegedly punched the plaintiff in January 2022.
Authorities investigated the incident. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Kanye.
“Regarding the incident involving Kanye West that took place January 13, 2022, after a thorough and careful review of all the evidence, our office is declining to file based on no reasonable likelihood of conviction,” a spokesperson said in August 2022.
Kanye avoided charges despite admitting he hit the plaintiff in an interview. Ye said the victim was trying to make money off his autograph.
“It was 3 a.m. in front of the [Soho] Warehouse,” he explained. “I’m saying, ‘You don’t know what I’m dealing with right now.’ I just finished these two songs. I came from the studio. And this dude, he just had this real attitude like, ‘What you gonna do? And see that?’ I’ma just tell you – that blue COVID-19 mask ain’t stop that knockout.”
Poplawski sought undisclosed damages in his lawsuit. Ye denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was “justified in doing any and/or all of the acts alleged in the complaint.”