Cadet pounded by Patti LaBelle’s body guard
Three people have sent me a link to this story about a West Point cadet, Richard C. King, 23, a senior at the U.S. Military Academy, having his ass handed to him by Patti LaBelle’s body guards.
I saw the article and the video last week;
I know everyone is upset because he’s a cadet, but, like a typical cadet, he was wandering around preoccupied with something other than walking around. When the body guard pushed him, King pushed the guy back – probably not something I’d not do to someone twice my size, especially if I wasn’t sure why.
Obviously, the guards or Patti LaBelle didn’t pick on him because he is a cadet or because he’s a football star, or because of anything else. He was just not very aware of his surroundings because he had that idiot box glued to his ear yammering about his favorite lace panties or something.
So flame me if I don’t take the cadet’s side.
Category: Who knows
Seriously? Yes the kid probably had his head up his ass(a pastime it seems for many of the cadets I’ve met) but he really looked like he was just standing there talking on the phone. It seems more like “You musn’t get too close to the mistress lest your plebian nature sully her purity”. Who gives a crap if numbnuts didn’t have a good awareness of his surroundings? Are we to believe that now we must always keep on our toes in case our country’s version of royalty are around? Hell do we have to be cautious in case our royalty’s luggage is too close?
Sorry John I normally agree with you but I’m not completely buying that this thing is all his fault.
I’m not Charles Johnson, so I won’t ban anyone for disagreeing with me. I know exactly why you feel sorry for the cadet. In my opinion it’s not entirely the fault of the body guards – I mean, they get paid for guarding the lady and her property it’s right there in their job title. They should have handled it a lot better than they did – but when the cadet shoved the guard back, he lost any sympathy I might have had for him. That’s not how an officer conducts himself in public.
But that’s me.
I don’t know what is more shocking — the treatment of this cadet or the fact that Patti LaBelle has body guards.
I have to disagree, Jonn, as I nearly had the same thing happen to myself back in the 80’s when I was working near Wall Street.
I was walking up Church St toward the World Trade Center when some goons came strolling out of the rear gate to Trinity church.
One of them went to push/stop me. I brushed his arm aside and continued on my way, although I did take a glance toward the gate and saw Jesse Jackson coming out.
Unlike the cadet I wasn’t attacked, but from the look on the goon’s face it was a near cut thing.
Regardless of the reason, that bodyguard was committing an assault by pushing the cadet and under the circumstances the cadet was well within his rights to self defense to push back.
The fact that the young man is a cadet actually has nothing to do with it. I would feel the same way about anyone else in that circumstance.
I echo Dan’s point- that he’s a cadet doesn’t amount to a hill of bean in my estimation, but the fact that police officers were taking photos with LaBelle after speaks volumes. Unprofessional on every level, and if someone shoves me for a reason unbeknownst to me, I don’t just back off and chalk it up to “he’s bigger so I cower as a response”.
While I agree that the young man should have been aware of his surroundings (situational awareness) and the security people are paid to protect the person and their property, it does not give them the right to put their hands on someone that is not attacking the person or their luggage. Too many times “body guards” do assault bystanders for no apparent reason other than to show the boss they are on the job. In this case, it seems Ms. Patty decided to give the take down order herself. She is not immune to the laws of the land, just because she has been a princess for decades and the brain dead doofus’ she has as security should know how to handle a situation without the need to break the law themselves.
I agree with Jonn in this case. The former cadet did in fact ‘escalate’ the situation by shoving back and being situationally unaware.
I’m not exactly sure someone like Patti LaBelle is ‘deserving’ of such extreme protective measures. Don’t get me wrong I like some of her music, but let’s not fool ourselves, it’s not like she’s the President of the United States. That said these bodyguard types seem to tends towards quick and violent actions, kinda like some out of control bouncers working at clubs/bars. You give them an inch and you know the rest.
I do not remember any stories of Dean Martin, or Fran Sinatra, Buddy Holley, or Richie Valentine using body guards, and If the Beatles used them I’ve found no mention. I think it speaks more to our society that celebrity personalities feel that they NEED to hire thugs to protect them.
I think that this is yet another case of bad judgment. Running around pointing fingers after the fact isn’t really going to help anything, pretty much ALL are responsible.
Yes, even though the kay-det was not situationally aware, all it would have taken was for the “guard” to cough, or hold an arm out as warning. There was NO need to be physical. Sorry, but I’m for the kay-det on this one. All he knew was that he was being assaulted, and didn’t know the why of it.
@John Hey John if you kicked out anyone who disagrees with you wouldn’t the website be thisainthell.gov? I kid I kid
I agree that he had a right to push back in a WTF self-defense manner because what I saw was a kid who had no clue that it was Patti LaBelle’s limo talking on a cell phone and then Boom. Nope.
She deserves to be sued. There were other witnesses who will come forward, even if they were assholes and did not help the staggering kid.
Here’s my issue with all of this–why the hell did he get booted from West Point?
And yeah, when it comes to celebs, cops are worse than worthless.
Ten bucks says that she thought he was some asshat who was on the phone with paparazzi/celeb-bloggers/etc., and as a result, wanted him removed from her presence. I’m also betting he was asked to move, and when he didn’t comply, that’s when the pushing started…swiftly escalating to an ass whoopin’.
Looks like HPD and West Point officials are taking a second look at it:
http://www.khou.com/news/Attorney-wants-criminal-charges-filed-against-Patti-LaBelles-bodyguards-123274128.html
If somebody pushes you Lilyea you just walk away in hopes not to escalate the situation? If this had happened to some low level republican you would be up in arms, what a hypocrite..
What a joke West Point is suspend the kid before any of the facts are in. They all look stupid now.
Wow–talk about reading into things that aren’t there, OG.
Perhaps you’d do better to READ WHAT JONN WROTE again and see that his point is devoid of any political bent?
And Jonn, for the record, here’s where I think you’re not necessarily wrong, but perhaps misplacing your criticism of the cadet:
“Minimum force necessary.” It’s obvious the bodyguards/thugs went way overboard. Simply asking the young man to step aside would have been sufficient, then perhaps GENTLY leading him away rather than shoving the guy right out of the gate.
Was Mr. King out of line for retaliating? I sure would have given it a second thought if I saw three guys each double my size itching for a confrontation. Not very “officer-like” although he may end up staying at the Point after all. But then again, being shoved around for no apparent reason isn’t exactly something anyone here deals with on a daily basis.
@18 Hey Sparky you’re allowed to disagree with Lilyea you don’t have to blubber all over yourself trying to tip toe around it. You need to learn how to stand on your own two feet.
All of you guys on here go on and on about how bad ass you are and how you kick ass like nobodys business but then you attack this kid for standing up for himself. Which I am sure is something he was taught at West Point.. I guess you guys want future officers to cower..
Just a comment on the aforementioned “situational awareness.”
Limos are not normally engaged by folks that are known for the warm fuzzies for their fellow man.
If you didn’t hire the limo, stay away from it.
Jesus, OG–read much? Nobody here brags about how badass anyone is. And I as much as anyone here will tell you about discretion being the better part of valor–or did you not get taught that last week at your local New Jersey junior high?
So, OG, be a good little girl and suck start a shotgun. I can disagree without being a dick. Maybe you’ll learn to do that someday. You, OTOH, I just enjoy kicking in the box for a good laugh.
Screw Patti La Belle! A very similar incident happened to me by her body guards in the mid 80’s in Lafayette, La. Went to see her, the place was packed. While waiting outside on a public sidewalk in lin, I leaned against a car which unbeknown to me was LaBelle’s. Two very large dark body guards grabbed me by the arm and pushed me down the sidewalk with a message to stay 10ft from the car. Needless to say, I was extremely pissed but retained enough precence of mind to know I couldn’t win unless I had an equalizer of some sort.
So Screw you Patti LaBelle! You and the horse you rode in on. I hope the cadet follows through with the suit and wins a very large sum. And the cadet should never have been made to pay a price until the facts are all in.
And the other guy made contact with the cadet first (probably without getting his attention, too, it looks like). And the Point kicks his butt out for this? That’s wrong. West Point acted too fast, way too fast.
And, Patti La Belle needs a dose of humility… since when do twenty-year-olds even know who she is any more?
West Point leadership, as always are idiots for suspending the dude before any facts come out. Then again this kid is an idiot for going to West Point anyway, dont ever expect “back up” from the administration. White cadets may as well stop going, there is nothing for you guys anymore, the ride is over…
1. This was not a combat zone, this cadet ON LEAVE, waiting for his family, talking on a cell phone. You have no duty to be “switched on” 24/7. Nor is standing near a celebrities luggage a violation of US law.
2. If you think he was wrong for PUSHING BACK, you are a fucking idiot and I hope you do not have children, eat a dick, then a bullet. You are the same type of person who thinks Palin was a good candidate because she was “not Obama”, and have no sack.
3. It is not a crime to walk around with your cell phone. This Cadet did nothing wrong.
4. The fact that a dry vagina like Patti Lebelle is still alive and in command of these two twats fucking with young people really pisses me off.
5. This cadet as an individual could be the ultimate douche one on one, but nothing he did was a crime, or deserved of getting bicep raped by two failed NFL players for standing close to fucking luggage. LASTLY…he is 23 years old… none of you have ever drank at an airport.
6. And Houston Airport PD. Make examples of skin head and his boyfriend. I am so sick of cops being fucking morons, and I am one. Its not that hard. . fuck fuck fuck!!!
[…] video and my initial post is here. If that report what West Point used to base their decision to suspend King, they were misinformed […]