Beatnuts' Psycho Les Sued Over Drunken Incident

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Posted on 02.27.2010
Beatnuts’ Psycho Les Sued Over Drunken Incident
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Beatnuts’ Psycho Les Sued Over Drunken Incident

Aspenl resident Kristin Scharrer is suing Lester Fernandez —better known as “Psycho Les”, member of the Beatnuts — and Belly Up Aspen. The suit alleges the bar overserved the Queens, N.Y.,rapper, who’s accused of trying to drag the plaintiff onstage before she fell and hurt her leg.

Scharrer’s suit seeks more than $100,000 in damages. It claims that Psycho Les became “visibly intoxicated” on either whiskey, cognac or “some other alcoholic beverage” during a March 18, 2009, performance at the popular Aspen club.

Sometime around midnight, Psycho Les made overtures toward Scharrer and tried to get her onstage, the suit says. Scharrer unsuccessfully tried to resist.

“Several times during the show, Psycho Les singled out Scharrer and invited Scharrer to come up onto the stage; Scharrer declined these invitations,” the suit alleges. “At one point later in the performance, which was probably after midnight, Psycho Les grabbed Scharrer’s arm and forcefully attempted to pull Scharrer up onto the stage.”

Psycho Les managed to grab Scharrer’s arm before she fell, “violently hitting her leg on the sharp edge of the stage’s front,” the suit says.

Scharrer suffered possible nerve damage and a scar to her leg, according to the suit, which says that the incident was recorded by the club’s surveillance-camera system.

The suit makes six claims for relief — three against Psycho Les, three against the Belly Up.

Psycho Les faces civil charges of battery, outrageous conduct and false imprisonment.

“Psycho Les’ act[s] of grabbing Scharrer and trying to drag her onto the stage against her will constitutes behavior that is extremely outrageous and far outside the bounds of a civilized society,” the suit says.

The Belly Up faces charges of negligence/inadequate security, along with allegations that it overserved Psycho Les and is indebted to Scharrer under the Premises Liability Act for not keeping the club safe.

“Belly Up knew that Psycho Les had become visibly intoxicated during the Beatnuts’ performance on the night in question,” the suit says. “Belly Up staff or management knowingly and willfully continued to allow Psycho Les to consume alcohol on the stage during the show despite his condition of being then visibly intoxicated.”

The 2004 version of the “New Rolling Stone Album Guide” offered some upbeat commentary about the hip-hop defendant: “For over a decade Psycho Les and JuJu of the Beatnuts have been pumping out gritty New York street rap with remarkable consistency and uneven quality. As producers, these two Queens natives, along with DJ Premier, are the architects of a brand of hard-core East Coast hip-hop known by its heavy drums and sparse loops. As MCs, Psycho and JuJu stick to the basics: gunplay and bedroom antics. The subject matter and music may not vary significantly from album to album, but for what they do, the Beatnuts are some of the best.”

Michael Goldberg, owner of the Belly Up, declined to discuss the suit.

“It would be inappropriate for me to comment,” he said.

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