Tommy Lee threatens to sue Gov't - After being questioned by cops yesterday
Dancehall artiste Tommy Lee Sparta is threatening legal action against the Government if the police's "irresponsible actions" result in the cancellation of any of his bookings.
The deejay's attorney, Earnest Smith, told The Star last night that after going into the Elletson Road Police Station yesterday, the artiste was not questioned in relation to the incident in which he was named as a person of interest for. He was later released.
Last Thursday, the Elletson Road police listed the Uncle Demon deejay as a person of interest, saying he was wanted for questioning in relation to a shooting that took place on Saunders Avenue in East Kingston, and gave him until yesterday to report to them. The police did not give any further details on the shooting.
But Smith is furious with what he calls the defamatory nature of the bulletin, as the police did not attempt to contact Tommy Lee prior to its release. "It a blatant disregard for his constitutional right. It is an attack on his reputation. It is a serious defamatory act that has been committed against this young man," Smith Said.
He said a question-and-answer session was conducted yesterday in relation to an incident, but a completely different incident from the one he was advertised to be wanted in connection with. "They [police] were saying he is alleged to have been present in an area where shots were alleged to have been discharged. Not that he fired any shots, not that he was in the company of the person who fired any shots or in the possession of any firearms, but that he was in the vicinity of some 'mother' who bathe people," Smith explained.
damage his career
He added that a search warrant was executed at the artiste's house where nothing incriminating was found. "All I can say is that somebody is trying to damage his career, you're going to wait until two months after such an allegation is made by police to issue an international bulletin to say that this man is of interest in relation to a shooting incident?" Smith questioned.
The attorney further informed THE STAR that he will be consulting with his legal team to see how best to proceed in the matter, in light of developments since the bulletin's publication. "His manager has informed me from as early as Saturday that two of his proposed shows, the promoters have called in to say that they are going to cancel because he is seen in the eyes of Jamaicans as a criminal," Smith said. "I'm awaiting confirmation as to whether or not any cancellation has occurred because if any cancellation whatsoever occurs, we are going to sue the Government."