50 Cent Sued Over Assault at His Mansion
Rapper 50 Cent has been sued over an alleged assault at his Connecticut mansion in 2009.
No, the rapper isn't being sued because he assaulted anybody.
He is named in the suit because he employed a known criminal, Dwayne McKenzie.
The rapper was not present at the time of the assault, according to TMZ.
The woman who filed the suit, Vasti Ortiz, says she was invited to the rapper's home one evening in August. Upon arrival, she met McKenzie, one of 50 Cent's employees.
McKenzie made "awkward" sexual advances and asked for oral sex. When Ortiz refused and tried to leave the house, McKenzie pinned her down. He then asked Michelle Krzykowski, another woman present at the house, to attack Ortiz.
Ortiz later escaped and sought medical treatment for a wound on her head, according to the Toronto Sun.
Before the incident at the mansion, McKenzie was previously arrested and on conditional discharge for pistol-whipping a nightclub promoter. He also allegedly fired a round into a crowd in 2007 after someone stole his $100,000 chain.
Sounds like a model employee, right?
Employers (like 50 Cent here) can be named in lawsuits for negligent hiring. Employers generally need to exercise a degree of care when making hiring decisions. Reports haven't indicated exactly what McKenzie was hired to do for 50 Cent. If he was hired to hold a gun and act as security, 50 Cent may be in trouble.
After all, McKenzie's past crimes do highlight a tendency toward violence. He probably shouldn't be considered for employment positions that require handling security. Or any other positions that might put the public in danger for that matter.
Essentially, 50 Cent was sued by Ortiz because she claims the rapper should have known about McKenzie's violent, criminal past. It's likely she is alleging that 50 Cent caused her injuries by creating a safety risk. Namely, by hiring Dwayne McKenzie without properly vetting his background first.
Related Resources:
- 50 Cent Sued Over Violent Attack (TMZ)
- Pre-Employment Background Check Laws (FindLaw)
- 50 Cent Makes Millions Tweeting on Stock: Was it Legal? (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Taco Bell Ad Causes Beef With 50 Cent (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)