Machine Gun Kelly Blames ‘False’ News Reports for Tardiness in Answering Assault Lawsuit
Machine Gun Kelly wants to fight a default ruling relating to a civil claim filed against him over an alleged assault and battery with a parking attendant. The musician is requesting a judge to set aside the recent default ruling in the case in order to allow him to fight the claim on the incident that allegedly occurred in August 2021.
The original suit concerned a disabled parking lot attendant who claimed that Kelly (whose real name is Colson Baker) had pushed and threatened him while he was working. Kelly had been working on the set of a film nearby, and the attendant claimed that the incident occurred when he confronted the musician and his cohorts about filming in the bank parking lot where he worked. While asking if they had a permit, it was then that the alleged altercation took place, with the attendant claiming that the musician pushed him and had started "yelling threats" when he was asked multiple times to leave.
The suit came after the L.A. City Attorney's Office had decided against pursuing charges due to a lack of "reasonable likelihood of conviction." But, as Kelly had failed to answer the complaint, he lost his right to appear in the case and left himself open for the parking attendant to pursue a civil penalty and damages with the court's default ruling.
But, as Rolling Stone reports, the musician has filed a request with the court to set aside the default ruling and allow him to fight the charge.
“As a result of my profession, there are many stories, accounts, reports and other write-ups citing my stage name, ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ [that] purport to describe activities in which I have been involved," stated the musician in the filing. “When I followed them regularly, I found that many of the publications ranged from false to only partially true.”
He continued, “These publications occur sometimes multiple times each day. As a result, I no longer make it common practice to read publications about me or those that cite to my entertainment name, Machine Gun Kelly, to determine whether or not something therein is truthful, newsworthy or should place me on notice.”
According to the musician, he claimed that he he had never been served about the complaint and that he hadn't seen the summons prior to the deadline to respond to the lawsuit.
“Upon learning of the lawsuit, I promptly retained counsel,” he wrote. “I further note that I deny the allegations made against me in this lawsuit.”
According to the report, the court did not immediately offer a ruling on Kelly's request.