Double Trouble For Justin Bieber: Superstar Faces Two Legal Battles
Justin Bieber faces legal battles on two fronts after allegedly headbutting a patron at an L.A. restaurant and later claiming to be sick when summoned for a deposition regarding a potential copyright infringement.
Bieber has a history of violent confrontations, ranging from the paparazzi to various less annoying people. However, the most recent incident occurred at the Serafina restaurant in Los Angeles, where Bieber has been accused of headbutting one of the patrons who was recording the pre-Grammy party.
The accuser in this case is Dean Parker, who TMZ reports claimed “Justin lunged for his camera, striking him in the face… although you don’t see the strike on the video. Cops told us it was reported as a headbutt.”
Parker “is not pursuing charges,” reports USA Today, “but authorities are moving forward with an investigation. Their investigation coincides with another by Cleveland authorities, who are probing a Las Vegas man’s claim that the Purpose artist assaulted him after a June NBA Finals game.”
Adding to the fray is the assault charges Justin Bieber faces from an altercation occurring down south in Argentina. A lot of the charges tend to stem from Bieber’s interactions with the people shooting photos of him, which, considering Bieber’s spotlight-oriented profession, seems a bit of a contradiction.
In addition to the singer’s legal battles from assault charges, Bieber and Skrillex are facing a lawsuit regarding an alleged copyright infringement of a vocal riff used in Sorry. The plaintiff is Casey Dienel, an indie singer also known as White Hinterland, and she claims the two stars used the music without permission. The infringement focuses around eight seconds of music that are repeated multiple times in the song.
In that case, the most recent turn of events is far from Bieber’s favor, as he apparently claimed to be too sick to show up. However, he apparently felt well enough later that day to go out and party, as videos and photos popped online hours later showing Justin drinking and partying with friends.
Dienel’s lawyer was far from pleased with the behavior. According to EWN, Dienel’s lawyer claimed “Hours after skipping the deposition, Defendant Bieber posted pictures on his Instagram page toasting a drink with friends – implicitly celebrating that he has violated the law, the respect for this Court, and the respect for all the parties and counsel who flew to California to accommodate Defendant Bieber”
The plaintiff’s group is now seeking to have the courts force Bieber to head to the next scheduled deposition, requiring the superstar to make the trek to Nashville, Tennessee, in early March. Considering the imposition placed on the plaintiff, and the resulting no-show by Bieber, it seems likely the court will rule in the Dienel’s favor.
The legal team has also requested that if Justin Bieber fails to show up at the next hearing that they be given a summary judgment. If that happens, it would be likely that the judge might just end the inquiry in Dienel’s favor.
This pattern of behavior is far from abnormal for Bieber, who has a tendency to cycle between public meltdowns and attempts at reconciliation. Based on his actions over the last few months, it certainly appears as if the superstar is on one of his downward spirals.
Selena Gomez’ recently released song, “Kygo,” seems to hint at someone in her past with a history of alcohol problems. Many commentators note that it seems to be a likely reference to Bieber’s issues in the past.
So what are your thoughts on Justin Bieber’s latest set of legal problems? Is he on a downward plunge again? Tell us what you think of the star’s behavior in the comments section below!
[Featured Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
