1991.07.09-12 - The St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Various reports (lawsuits)

July 9, 1991:



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Area Concertgoer Sues Over Guns N’ Roses Riot

By Andre Jackson
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

A man from St. Louis filed suit Monday against rock singer Axl Rose and two St. Louis companies, alleging that he was assaulted during a riot at a performance by Rose's band last week at the Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights.

Jerome Harrison is seeking an unspecified amount of damages from Rose, lead singer of the heavy metal group Guns Ν' Roses; Contemporary Productions Inc., promoters of last week’s concert; and Sverdrup Building Corp., which designed and built the amphitheater. A total of 50 unidentified members of the band, its entourage and the promoter's security staff were named as defendants in the suit.

About 75 people, including more than a dozen police officers, were injured in the riot.

In the suit, filed in St. Louis Circuit Court, Harrison said he had had a front-row ticket to last Tuesday night’s concert. Harrison said he had been assaulted during the riot by ''unknown individuals," including a person believed to be a band security officer.

Harrison suffered bruises and swelling and continues to suffer pain and dizziness, the suit says. His attorney, James C. Brandenburg, said the extent of Harrison's injuries was yet to be determined: "He’s still receiving medical treatment," he said.

Neither Rose nor officials of Contemporary Productions could be reached for comment. Officials at Sverdrup referred inquiries to Contemporary.

July 10, 1991:



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Police Seek Rock Group’s Version Of Riot At Riverport

By Kim Bell
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

The Maryland Heights Police Department will mail letters today to the Guns N’ Roses crew, asking for their side of what happened in the riot last week at Riverport Amphitheatre, said Police Chief Neil F. Kurlander.

Members of the heavy-metal band, stage hands, sound technicians and others will have two weeks to send Kurlander written statements about what they saw at the concert. If nothing arrives, Kurlander said, “We'll close the investigation without them.” The Police Department’s case will then be turned over to St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, who will decide whether charges will be filed.

Investigators already have interviewed more than 100 workers at Riverport, members of the audience closest to the stage and police officers.

"The missing component, of course, is statements from the stage hands, sound technicians.” Kurlander said. "We want to make sure we’re not stampeded into conducting a hasty investigation without doing our homework."

A second civil suit alleging injuries in the riot was filed Tuesday in St. Louis Circuit Court. Jim Dunning, 23, of Fenton, is seeking more than 315,000 in damages for injuries he said he suffered to his nervous system, head and an arm. The suit names as defendants Rose and the promoter, Contemporary Productions Inc.

A similar suit filed Monday sought unspecified damages.

Guns N’ Roses played in Dallas Monday night for the first time since the riot. The show was peaceful, although fans had to wait two hours because singer Axl Rose was late.

Dallas police said 41 off-duty officers, 10 more than usual, were hired to provide security. A security firm provided more guards.

Rose apologized for sound problems; he blamed equipment damaged in the riot.

Rose told the audience in Dallas that he had jumped into the crowd at Riverport Amphitheatre "because the security was beating on some kid." At the time, authorities and witnesses said he had gone after a concertgoer who had a video camera.

The concert’s promoters call Rose’s claim untrue. "If he says that security was beating up someone, he’s the only person who saw it,” said Steve Schankman, president of Contemporary Productions.

The Associated Press contributed information for this story.

July 11, 1991:



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Riverport Amphitheatre Owners Sue Guns N’ Roses Over Riot

By William C. Lhotka
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

The owners and promoter of River-port filed suit Wednesday against Axl Rose and his heavy-metal band Guns Ν' Roses, accusing them of causing a public-relations nightmare and damaging the Maryland Heights amphitheater in a riot July 2.

The suit seeks judgments against the band equal to any judgments that may be awarded to injured concert-goers.

Two individuals already have filed suit against Riverport, alleging they were injured during the melee.

Plaintiffs in the suit filed Wednesday in St. Louis County Circuit Court are: Riverport Performing Arts Centre, a joint venture of Contemporary Investment Corp., Sverdrup Investments and McDonnell Douglas Realty Company; and Contemporary Productions Inc., the booking agent and pro-moter of concerts for the amphitheater.

W. Axl Rose is named individually as a defendant, along with MOGOBO Inc., the corporate name for Guns Ν' Roses. Rose and MOGOBO list addresses in Los Angeles.

The suit alleges that the band agreed in its contract with Riverport "to refrain from conduct which defendants knew ... would be provocative and dangerous to members of the audience....”

The suit says Guns 'N Roses violated the agreement by:

- Using insulting and profane language.

- Confronting members of the audience.

- Interfering with security.

- Ceasing the performance.

The petition says that the amphitheater was damaged and that the riot left the public with the false impression "that it is unsafe to attend events" at Riverport. The suit asks for unspecified actual and punitive damages.

Guns N’ Roses could not be reached for comment. Previously, Rose blamed security personnel for the melee.

July 12, 1991:



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LEGAL ACTION

A third suit has been filed on behalf of people claiming to have been injured in a riot July 2 at a heavy metal rock concert in Maryland Heights. The latest suit was filed Thursday on behalf of concertgoer Raymond Morris "and all other persons injured” at the concert by Guns Ν' Roses at the Riverport Amphitheatre. The suit names as defendants: Axl Rose, lead singer of the group; Contemporary Productions Inc., promoters of the concert; and Sverdrup Building Corp., which designed and built the facility. “Every injured individual will have to prove the merits of his or her own injury claim on their own,” said Michael Korte, the attorney representing Morris. Korte said that as many as 80 people may have been injured at the riot.