Snoop And The Game Among Rappers Being Sued For Onstage Beating

Snoop Dogg, The Game, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger and Soopafly have been named in a civil lawsuit filed by a man who claims that he was brutally beaten onstage at a May 28 stop on the rappers' How The West Was One Tour last year.

Richard Monroe II, 25, is suing for $22 million U.S. in punitive and compensatory damages for assault, battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The Kent, Wash. resident claims that he was "ruthlessly... dragged, kicked, punched, jumped and otherwise severely beaten" by Snoop's bodyguards and several rappers after he jumped onstage at the White River Amphitheatre.

Though the alleged assault took place in Auburn, Wash., the lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court because Snoop maintains a residence and oversees his business interests there.

Monroe, who was a self-professed "loyal" Snoop fan according to his filing, claims that he received an "open invite" from the rapper to join him onstage while he was performing "Gin And Juice." He tried to put his arms around Snoop when he says he was grabbed by bodyguards.

"Monroe did nothing suggestive of hostility and nothing whatsoever to provoke the violent response that ensued," claims the suit. "Bodyguards thereafter grabbed Monroe and attacked him by striking him with fists and kicks for approximately 35 seconds."

The suit further claims that Monroe was "beaten unconscious" and that the attack continued "in spite of the fact that [Monroe] was incapacitated and clearly could not pose a threat."

Monroe was taken to a hospital after the altercation and was treated for bruised ribs, a broken nose, a busted lip and black eyes.

The suit goes on to say that the incident, which was caught on video, continued when a number of Monroe's assailants poured "orange cups of liquid" on him while he was laying onstage, causing him "severe emotional distress." Monroe alleges that his attackers ripped diamond studs from his ears and stole his watch, rings, cell phone and wallet.

Monroe accuses Soopafly of participating in the beating, Snoop of "doing nothing to stop" the assault, and The Game of "encouraging and/or validating the attack." He also implies that Snoop's bodyguards are "unqualified to be security agents... [and] were also poorly trained by defendants who failed to teach them that a fan that comes on stage may not be spontaneously attacked."

By having the guards onstage, Snoop's actions are accused of being "careless and irresponsible."

Snoop's publicist, Meredith O'Sullivan, told MTV News last year that Monroe became a potential security threat when he jumped onstage and "once a breach of security has been made, authorities are forced to take the proper measures to ensure safety."

Monroe alluded to that statement in his suit by claiming that the Snoop's "cavalier and reckless assignment of blame, projected through his [publicist] toward Monroe" justified a punitive award of $20 million on top of a $2 million compensatory judgment.

A preliminary hearing for the case has been set for July 31.