A US judge has ordered Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs to pay $2.45 million (£1.6 million) in damages to a one Cedrick Bobby Lemon, who claims he was beaten at a Winston-Salem concert in 1995 by two bodyguards Combs had hired to protect Mary J Blige. Judge William Z Wood ordered the payment on 10 Sep because Combs didn't answer the allegations in Lemon's lawsuit against him within a 30-day time limit prescribed by state law. Combs has residences in New York and Los Angeles, but Lemon's attorney, Herman Stephens, said Tuesday that he could not find Combs and his associates to present them with his client's lawsuit. The courts claim Combs declined to accept a civil summons from a Forsyth County deputy when he appeared at the Greensboro Coliseum June 21 to perform in a concert.
Nathalie Moar, a spokeswoman for Combs, told reporters: "We have just learned of this lawsuit. As it has no merit whatsoever, we intend to take all necessary steps to have it dismissed." Lemon claims he was working at the Joel Coliseum as a limousine driver when Blige performed there. He was wearing an identification badge that permitted him to stand backstage. As Blige’s bodyguards cleared the back stage area ready for her to leave the building they confronted Lemon. They then allegedly punched him – Lemon stumbled and grabbed one of the guards, accidentally pulling him to the floor. At that point, the guards kicked Lemon in the back as he tried to shield his head with his hands and arms. Lemon alleges that he suffered emotional and mental distress after the attack.