Scottie Pippen has Charges Dropped After Autograph-Seeking Fan Altercation
Criminal charges were dropped against retired NBA basketball player Scottie Pippen after an altercation with an autograph-seeking fan in Los Angeles back in June.
Pippen allegedly punched the fan in the face after he approached the NBA Hall of Famer. The man who was drunk at the time, faked seizures and exaggerated his injuries in an attempt to elicit a bigger suit against the ball player.
The incident with the man, named, Camran Shafighi, occurred at L.A. sushi restaurant Nubu on June 24, when Shafighi approached Pippen seeking a picture. He agreed to have his picture taken, but not with the fan because he was with his family eating at the time.
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Upon leaving the restaurant the man followed the Ex-Chicago Bulls champion to the parking lot where he again pressed for a photo and an autograph. After Pippen declined, the man became angry and started "grabbing at him, cursing him and then spit in his face," a report from the district attorney's office said.
The retired basketball player then acted in defense and punched the enraged fan in face and then kicked him several time.
Shafighi was taken to the hospital, but doctors found nothing broken or damaged. He returned to the doctor the next day and told the hospital he was diagnosed with fractured ribs and an ankle reports the Associated Press. Doctors rejected his claims saying the only injuries suffered were a bruise and a cut lip.
Regardless of proof of injury, the fan filed a $4 million lawsuit against Pippen.
His story began to unravel after it was found he had been intoxicated and opiates were found in his system as well. The doctor said he felt the patient was "making stuff up" the report said.
''This shakedown artist was drunk, screaming racial slurs, and assaulted my client and his family,'' Mark Geragos, Pippen's attorney said in a statement. ''Scottie and his family are grateful to the sheriff for their investigation and DA for their decision to reject these unfounded charges. Scottie and his family plan on holding this man accountable for his outrageous actions.''
Shafighi and his attorney claim they are surprised by the decision of the prosecutors, and said they had plenty of evidence suggesting "the gravity of the victim's harm, which included seizure-like activity, secondary trauma, unresponsiveness and altered levels of consciousness."
''We have no doubt that had this vicious attack involved an everyday citizen, instead of a famous and connected individual like Mr. Pippen, that criminal charges would have been filed in this case,'' the fan's attorney, Lee Boyd said.
