Greensboro News & Record

April 1, 2000
Author: PAULA CHRISTIAN Staff Writer

The Greensboro man claims band members urged the audience to assault him. A Greensboro man reached a confidential settlement with Motley Crue late Thursday, putting an end to a federal lawsuit that was scheduled for trial next week.

The lawsuit stems from a Motley Crue concert at the Greensboro Coliseum in 1997. John Allen, a security guard at the concert, accused band members of assaulting him, encouraging the crowd to attack him and using racial slurs.

``The matter was resolved finally last (Thursday) night,'' said Greensboro attorney Don Vaughn, who represents Allen and his employer, Show Pros Entertainment Services of Charlotte.

Vaughn and Allen could not discuss the terms of the settlement because of a confidentiality clause.

The case had been set for trial Monday morning in federal court in Winston-Salem. Allen had been seeking more than $75,000 in damages for verbal assault, battery, infliction of mental ! distress and other claims in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleged that bass player Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee and other members of the heavy metal band took part in verbal threats and assaults on Allen, who was working near the stage.

Allen, who is black, claimed that Sixx ``incited the crowd and told them to come forward and to take care of this (racial slur). He also told the crowd to throw cups at the security guards, which they did,'' according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says Sixx shouted obscenities at Allen, kicked him in the shoulder, spit at him and told the lighting directors to shine the spotlight on him while encouraging the audience to participate in the harassment. Allen also says Lee poured a cup of beer on his head.

Allen was forced to climb on the stage to protect himself from the crowd. Portions of the concert were later televised on MTV.

Sixx and Lee faced criminal charges after the concert.

Sheriff BJ B! arnes sent deputies to serve Sixx with outstanding arrest warrants the next time Motley Crue performed in North Carolina. Deputies arrested Sixx after a show in Raleigh on Sept. 3, 1999.

Lee, who had not been performing with the band that night, turned himself in to deputies one month later.

Lee returned in Greensboro in early March to answer criminal charges. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of simple assault for pouring beer on Allen's head. As part of the plea bargain, a prosecutor dropped a charge of felony riot with ethnic intimidation.

A judge sentenced Lee to unsupervised probation and ordered him to pay $161 in fines and court costs on March 7.

A week later, Nikki Sixx was also convicted of criminal charges from that concert.

He pleaded no contest to three misdemeanors - inciting a riot, simple assault and disorderly conduct.

As part of a plea bargain, prosecutors reduced his felony riot with ethnic intimidation charge to a misdemeanor of inciting a riot.

A jud! ge gave him a 30-day suspended jail sentence and unsupervised probation, and ordered him to pay $150 fine and court costs.

Sixx's criminal attorney, Joe Williams, said his client regretted what happened. He said Sixx was ``outraged'' that night, saying he saw the security guard manhandling people in the crowd.

Copyright 2000 Greensboro News & Record

(336) 273-1415