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ODD FUTURE RAPPERCHARGED WITH ASSAULTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Odd Future Rapper Charged with Assaulting Photographer

November 7, 2011

By EURpublisher

*A photographer who claimed Odd Future member Left Brain (born Vyron Turner) assaulted her at last month’s Voodoo Experience festival in New Orleans filed charges against the MC on Friday, reports MTV News. Amy Harris accused Turner of slapping her across the face and knocking her camera lens to the ground in the Oct. 30 incident. A representative for the New Orleans Police Department confirmed for MTV News that the single charge of simple battery had been filed and that a detective has been assigned to investigate.

Harris would not comment further, referring all questions to a Los Angeles law firm handling her case. In a statement released Sunday, she wrote, “It is my understanding that a police report I filed in New Orleans on Friday has now become public knowledge and is being reported on various websites. At this time, I do not wish to discuss the filing of the police report other than to say that, upon further reflection of events of the past week, it is something I needed to do. The week’s events have been extremely upsetting.”

Harris added that she decided to go to police after receiving anonymous email threats about the incident.

The charge carries a jail term of up to six months and up to $1,000 in fines. The incident, in which Harris claims the rapper swatted the photographer in the head and knocked the lens off her camera while leaving her with a red welt on her face, came during Odd Future’s set at the annual festival.

Harris has released a photo she took in which Turner can be seen bending down and looking directly into the camera with his right hand coming forward in a swinging motion as he grits his teeth.

Turner has not commented on the charges filed, but in a since-removed post on his Tumblr — in which he posted Harris’ photo — he wrote, “I didn’t slap that old bi—. Everybody seen that sh–. Idgaf though. F— her and f— the media. I’m not stupid and I’m not lettin nobody sue me for my paper. It’s my job to slap cameras out the way so like I said before, f— your opinion your blog and ya peeps. Ha.”

A spokesperson for the festival released a statement after the incident, which read, “The Voodoo Experience does not in any way condone the behavior of Odd Future towards the approved media assembled in the photo pit during the band’s set. … Festival organizers would like to apologize to their media guests who experienced and/or witnessed this abusive behavior.”

But in a statement to Pitchfork, the band’s spokesperson denied the incident. “There simply is no truth to the accusation floating around the internet. It’s no secret that Odd Future has a love/hate relationship with photographers at shows simply because sometimes they are given access the group wishes their fans would have instead. After telling the photographers to clear out multiple times (as they’ve done before) Vyron (Leftbrain) took a swipe at a few cameras, NOT people. To manipulate the situation to insinuate an attack on a woman specifically is careless and manipulative.”