Justin Bieber’s DUI arrest in Miami Beach didn’t just bring a not quite unexpected fitting for an orange jumpsuit and more criticism than usual the teen star’s way. The 19-year-old’s Thursday morning alleged drag-race also meant he missed an important court-mandated video deposition.
Bieber’s introduction to Miami’s penal system clashed horribly with a 10 am appointment at a Santa Monica, California, attorney’s office, for a grilling by the lawyer of a paparazzo suing the singer for alleged negligence and battery.
The video appointment was scheduled by a Miami circuit court judge months back and is part of the opening salvos of a lawsuit filed by photographer, Jeffery Binion.
Binion claims Bieber’s bodyguards roughed him up outside Miami’s Hit Factory Recording studio on June 5, 2013, and claims the singer ordered the attack by virtue of being their employer.
Speaking to Sun-Sentinel , South Florida attorney Mark DiCowden, who represents Binion, expressed his frustration.
“This is just one more milestone in Justin Bieber’s path of destruction.” DiCowden fumed, adding that he was notified Wednesday night by the singer’s legal team that he would not be appearing, “And one more indication of his lack of regard for individuals and society.”
The pop superstar lost an important round earlier this month when Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel denied Bieber’s lawyers’ request to request to seal the transcript of the Q & A, as well as their request to ensure the video of the questioning was never made public.
Binion’s original filing can be viewed here.
Zabel agreed with Binion’s argument that Bieber does not have a right to keep potentially self-damaging replies to a lawyer’s questions secret, “even if it hurts his brand.’”
“Bieber’s celebrity status gives him no greater legal right to seal his deposition than anyone else,” Binion’s objection to the seal attempt read, Gossip Extra reported.
“I plan on litigating this case and getting justice for my client,” said DiCowde told Sun-Sentinel .
The lawyer added he plans on filing a motion with Judge Zabel, possibly to hold Bieber in contempt for the no-show.
Gossip Extra originally reported the Canadian’s deposition was expected to take eight hours.
Only problem is Justin spent eight hours plus giving his particulars to Miami police.
The teen star was arrested at 04:13 am on Pine Tree Drive and 26th Street that his crew had reportedly blocked off so Bieber and his friend, Khalil Amir Sharieff – who was driving a red Ferrari – could allegedly race the vehicles.
In a press conference Miami Beach Chief of Police Raymond Martinez told waiting press: “He [Bieber] did acknowledge that he did take a prescription medication and that he had been smoking marijuana and that he did consume a beer,” Sky News reported.
Martinez also said Bieber had been “belligerent,” “incoherent,” and had used some “choice words” when he was arrested but was not violent.
The Chief previously told the Miami Herald that after Justin initially refused to get out of the Lamborghini when asked by police officers, the singer also refused to remove his hands from his pockets and fired a a string of F-bombs at officers.
The star was later charged with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, resisting arrest without violence, and driving without a valid license.
Bieber later appeared before a judge via video feed for a bond hearing while at West Miami-Dade’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he said nothing while his high-profile lawyer Roy Black spoke for him. A bond of $2,500 was set.
After it was met, the singer emerged to fans, baying press and helicopters, and paparazzi. Waving grimly from the top of an SUV Justin was driven to a private residence in Miami and is reportedly lying low at the moment .
CBS4’s Ted Scouten reports fans gathered outside the house on Thursday night chanting, “We want Justin.”
One fan, who thinks he glimpsed Bieber told Scouten, “Not going to lie, I was a little star struck to be honest.”
“It looked like he was doing the dishes; security has been very tight out here. They’ve been sitting out there pretty much the whole time.”