While at a Dead and Company show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden last year, a fan was arrested for trespassing into the show, but he is now suing Live Nation and the venue for defamation.
According to The Blast, the fan, David Roberti, attended the show on November 12, 2017. Roberti claims that he arrived to the concert late and entered through a side door because “it was wide open and because there was no security personnel.” He said he had a ticket to the show and went to his seat, but at the end of the first set, he was approached by security guards.
Although Roberti said he showed the guards his ticket, he was still taken to the security department. He offered to leave, but a venue employee told the officer he entered through the door and did not have a ticket. The officer arrested Roberti and he was taken to a precinct to be booked for trespassing charges. Those charges were ultimately dismissed.
Now, he is suing Madison Square Garden, the venue employee Naomi Stackpole, and a NYPD officer Joel Mottola. Roberti said he was falsely arrested and defamed with the false accusation that he trespassed into the concert, while he had in fact showed his ticket. He is seeking $1 million in damages and $3 million in punitive damages.
