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Man Asked To Rap To Avoid Fine Sues City Of Tempe For $500k
One of the two men stopped for littering in Tempe, Arizona and then asked to rap about the incident for a local television show is suing the city for $500,000, claiming the segment has done irreparable harm to his reputation.
Louis Baker and Robert Tarvain are the two African-American men who were stopped by police sergeant Chuck Schoville last August in a shopping district in Tempe, when he witnessed one of the men throw garbage out of his window.
Sgt. Schoville, who hosted a monthly local police show called Tempe Street Beat, claims the men identified themselves as music industry professionals from Chicago.
He said he asked the men to rap to build relationships with the local community and that the men had previously agreed to pick up the items they had thrown out the window.
Baker, who was shown rapping at Schoville's request, claims the publicity surrounding the incident has left him emotionally disturbed and has caused him to stutter.
"Mr. Baker has been subject to ridicule by his co-workers and strangers, requesting him to 'rap' when he leaves his home to go to the grocery store, restaurants or just drive or walk in the community," Baker's attorney Howard Schwartz wrote. "Because of the general public's behavior towards Mr. Baker, he has been portrayed as a clown, which has caused him to become emotionally disturbed, reclusive and embarrassed."
Baker is suing the city and the Tempe Police Department for intentional tort, emotional impairment and mental impairment.
The episode featuring Baker rapping was aired over 20 times during Nov. 2006.
The Tempe Police Department has since pulled the plug on the show, which aired for over 5 years, due to the controversy.
Source: allhiphop.com
Louis Baker and Robert Tarvain are the two African-American men who were stopped by police sergeant Chuck Schoville last August in a shopping district in Tempe, when he witnessed one of the men throw garbage out of his window.
Sgt. Schoville, who hosted a monthly local police show called Tempe Street Beat, claims the men identified themselves as music industry professionals from Chicago.
He said he asked the men to rap to build relationships with the local community and that the men had previously agreed to pick up the items they had thrown out the window.
Baker, who was shown rapping at Schoville's request, claims the publicity surrounding the incident has left him emotionally disturbed and has caused him to stutter.
"Mr. Baker has been subject to ridicule by his co-workers and strangers, requesting him to 'rap' when he leaves his home to go to the grocery store, restaurants or just drive or walk in the community," Baker's attorney Howard Schwartz wrote. "Because of the general public's behavior towards Mr. Baker, he has been portrayed as a clown, which has caused him to become emotionally disturbed, reclusive and embarrassed."
Baker is suing the city and the Tempe Police Department for intentional tort, emotional impairment and mental impairment.
The episode featuring Baker rapping was aired over 20 times during Nov. 2006.
The Tempe Police Department has since pulled the plug on the show, which aired for over 5 years, due to the controversy.
Source: allhiphop.com