Comedian Katt Williams is no stranger to the legal system and wild accusations. Most recently, a former assistant filed a lawsuit alleging that not only did the comedian underpay her, he verbally abused her, punched her, locked her in a hotel, and abandoned her in an Atlanta airport, fortunately not all at once. The former assistant worked for Williams from 2012 to 2016.
While Katt Williams has not issued a response to these allegations as of yet, it is known that the former assistant bringing these claims is the victim who Katt Williams was arrested and charged with battery for punching in July 2016. She is seeking an unspecified amount of damages stemming from that assault, where her injuries were indicated as severe, as well as the damages stemming from her employment with Williams.
Labor Violations and Personal Liability for an Attack
The civil claims alleged against Williams stemming from the attack can have rather severe financial consequences. While negligent injuries do not expose an at fault party to anything beyond compensatory damages, intentional actions, such as punching or attacking, expose a defendant to punitive damages.
The violations of labor law being alleged include a failure to pay agreed upon wages. Generally, if labor violations such as these are proven, an employer will have to pay the back wages, plus interest, plus financial penalties and other consequential damages. Additionally, a plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees will often be chargeable against a losing employer.
Katt Williams, a Legal Lightning Rod?
Katt Williams has appeared in legal and gossip news headlines frequently over the years. The legal drama that he attracts isn’t just civil either. As mentioned above, he was charged with battery for punching is former assistant. Additionally he has been:
- Arrested for intimidating a witness
- Sentenced to Community Service for Evading Police
- Arrested for felony robbery, and
- Sued for Torturing Woman With Witches and Punches
The eccentric performer may delight crowds with his comedy, but he certainly has a knack for making legal news headlines.
Related Resources:
- Katt Williams’ Bodyguard Kills Dog, Comedian Replaces it With Puppy (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- Katt Williams Fined $ 575K in Dog-Bites-Dog Case (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Katt Williams Fight Leads to Comic’s Arrest (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- Actor James Woods Sued for Twitter Defamation Claim FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)