CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The man who claims Carolina Panthers player Jon Beason assaulted him at a club filed a civil lawsuit in court Tuesday.
Gregory Frye says that Beason sucker-punched him at the Uptown Cabaret strip club on Nov. 16.
On Tuesday, Frye's attorney filed a lawsuit that alleges battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit seeks punitive damages in excess of $10,000. Frye's attorney said he wants a jury trial.
"Mr. Frye suffered injuries including a crushed nasal cavity and a fractured facial bone, which will require corrective reconstruction surgery," attorney Curtis Osborne said outside Mecklenburg County Court.
Lawsuit allegations
According to the lawsuit, Frye attended the Carolina Panthers game against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 15.
After the game, Frye went to Strike City in uptown Charlotte and then to Uptown Cabaret with a group of people, including Carolina Panthers player Dante Rosario.
When Frye arrived at Uptown Cabaret, he went into the VIP room and saw Beason. According to the lawsuit, Frye mentioned to Rosario that he believed he had seen Beason and a woman snorting cocaine at a party on Lake Norman in June.
The lawsuit says that Rosario expressed disbelief and then Frye left the room. The lawsuit says Beason's bodyguard approached Frye and said he should speak to Beason.
The lawsuit claims that Beason later approached Frye and threatened him.
According to the lawsuit, Frye and Beason agreed to go outside to talk. Frye says Beason punched him in the face when he turned around to make sure Beason was following him.
Frye also says someone kicked him in the ribs, but he isn't sure who. And, the lawsuit says, once Frye got up, Beason punched him at least once more.
The lawsuit also says that when asked if he hit Frye, Beason responded, saying something along the lines of "Yeah, I hit him. It might cost me a hundred grand, but you don't go around telling people I'm doing coke, and frontin' like you play in the league."
The "frontin'" comment, lawyers say, is a reference to Frye's Panthers' novelty card that has his picture on it and is similar to cards that players carry. Frye's attorney says he never pretended to be a Panthers player, just a huge fan.
Beason was arrested on Monday and was released from custody with a written promise to appear in court.
Beason has never tested positive, been fined or suspended for drug use by the NFL.
Beason's attorney said the Panthers linebacker looks forward to clearing his name.
"Jon is confident in the system and confident that he'll clear his good name," attorney George Laughrun said on Monday. "That's not his nature to be violent off the field."
When asked about the civil lawsuit on Tuesday, Beason's attorney said, "It is what it is." He had no other comment.
Meanwhile, Osborne held a small news conference outside the Mecklenburg County Courthouse after filing the lawsuit on Tuesday.
Osborne said that Frye has no criminal record, despite previous reports.
"He's never pleaded guilty to a crime and has never been found guilty of a crime in court," he said.
Court records show that Frye has been arrested on charges of assaulting a female and writing a worthless check, but those charges were dismissed. Frye was most recently arrested for aggressive driving in October.
Osborne said that Frye is an avid Carolina Panthers fan and will remain a fan despite the alleged incident.
"Mr. Frye will not let this isolated incident, even considering the severity of his injuries, to affect his view of the Carolina Panthers," Osborne said. "He has always been a loyal Panthers fan and he will continue to be a committed, loyal Panthers fan."
