OJ Simpson suing Las Vegas hotel for defamation over 2017 TMZ story claiming ‘belligerence’ – Yahoo Sports

O.J. Simpson is suing The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, alleging in a lawsuit filed Thursday that the hotel/casino employees defamed him by telling TMZ he was kicked out “for belligerence.”

TMZ published a story in November 2017 citing hotel staff who said the former NFL star was drunk, became disruptive and angry and “glasses broke at the bar.” Per the TMZ story, he was removed from the bar-casino by security and is permanently banned.

The piece does not cite any direct quotes, but has the headline “OJ Simpson thrown out of Vegas hotel for belligerence.”

In the lawsuit Simpson filed, he denies he was belligerent, broke any glass or damaged any of the hotel property, per the Associated Press. He also denied being intoxicated and said his group was approached by security “without incident” after dining at the steakhouse.

From the complaint, via the Las Vegas Journal:

After leaving the bar, the group went to the hotel’s basement parking lot, where a “person representing to be security” issued Simpson a trespass notice.

“To date, the Cosmopolitan has never issued any public rationale or reasoning for trespassing Simpson from the property, other than claiming it was ‘private’ property the night of the issuance of the trespass notice,” the complaint said.

TMZ is not a defendant, as noted by the AP. Simpson previously threatened to sue in January 2018 for “at least $100 million.” He is reportedly seeking at least $30,000 in damages and attorney’s fees.

The Cosmopolitan issued a statement after the TMZ story in 2017, per the Las Vegas Journal, saying “The alleged reports that are circulating are inaccurate,” and that it doesn’t comment on patron activity. It told reporters after the lawsuit was filed it does not comment on pending litigation as a matter of policy.

Simpson, 72, is out on parole and living in Vegas after serving time for a 2007 robbery. The complaint asserts, per the Review, he is a “model” parolee and completed a drug and alcohol test the day after the hotel incident that was clean.

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