Canadian singer and songwriter Justin Bieber has settled a lawsuit case involving a paparazzo who claimed the singer kicked and punch him outside a Southern California mall, the lawyer announced on Wednesday. The incident happened in 2012, while he was going out on a date with girlfriend, actress-singer Selena Gomez.
Photographer Jose Osmin Hernandez Duran filed the lawsuit in 2013, accusing the "Baby" hit singer of the said physical infliction, according to USA Today. The lawsuit stated Bieber was about to leave a Calabasas shopping plaza when he got out of his car, approached Duran and attacked him. He also went on his claims that he was left with severe emotional distress over the incident.
Steven Madison, Duran's representing lawyer, said on Wednesday, both agreed to a settlement for the case and announced it had been resolved, Daily Mail reported. He added, the 22-year-old pop singer settled the case to avoid trial and the compensation his client was seeking was less than he had to pay for legal fees. A trial had been set on Wednesday, however, it was cancelled on same day.
Selena Gomez returned to the scene and apologized to him after the incident, according to Duran. Mirror reported, it was not the singer's first lawsuit case involving paparazzi. Bieber settled a lawsuit last year, with a Miami-based photographer, Jeffrey Binion, who Bieber's bodyguard of physical assault that happened in 2013. Manuel Munoz, another photographer from Florida, also sued the Canadian pop star for beating him after taking a picture of him on a nightclub in 2014.
Justin Bieber rose to fame at the age of 13 as a Youtube sensation covering songs in 2007 and was discovered by a talent manager. He and Gomez split in 2014 after a much publicized on-and-off relationship. The singer is currently in the middle of his Purpose tour, which started on March 9.
