Hire Eight Bodyguards Who Like to Beat Up *%$#@!?$
Celebrities may feel safer surrounded by bodyguards, but unlike the image created the Nickeback song - even if you are a rock star, athletes and entertainers who employ bodyguards cannot ignore on-the-job misconduct.
At least, not according to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The court ruled unanimously on March 24 to uphold a verdict against National Basketball Association star Allen Iverson, accused of negligent supervision after a bodyguard roughed up a man at a Washington nightclub. Iverson, formerly a member of the Colorado Nuggets, was found liable for $260,000 in damages.
The attorney for the victim suggests that the decision "sends a clear message" to celebrities that inaction can create liability. However the Iverson decision is relatively narrow. The court found Iverson negligent because he was present at the fight, standing on a couch -- and doing nothing.