Law catches up with Snoop
2004-08-16 07:36
Virginia - Richmond lawyer Joseph W Kaestner is nothing if not persistent. And patient.
He filed a lawsuit in October 1997 in Richmond Circuit Court against Calvin Broadus, better known as rapper Snoop Dogg. Kaestner is seeking $1m in damages for trauma and humiliation for his client, music promoter Patricia Ann Richardson.
The lawsuit alleges that Snoop tricked Richardson into picking up three FedEx packages at a Petersburg motel in January 1997.
Richardson contends she didn't know 3.15kg of marijuana were in the packages until police stopped her at Club Flava, a Petersburg establishment where she was promoting one of Snoop's concerts.
No one was arrested, but Richardson was searched, handcuffed and questioned at a Petersburg police station, according to the lawsuit.
"Subsequently, she was subpoenaed and caused to appear before various investigating bodies," the lawsuit said.
Snoop lives in California and appears infrequently in Virginia. Kaestner couldn't serve the state court lawsuit on him.
The lawyer took steps that he believes have kept the case alive for almost seven years, and he arranged for the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Department to serve the lawsuit on Snoop when he appeared for a concert in that city Wednesday night.
The rapper has 20 days to file a formal response.
- AP