Paparazzo Was Asking For It, Kanye West Defense Team Argues

Kanye West is dropping his claim that he acted in self-defense when he tangled with a paparazzo at Los Angeles International Airport and now claims the man was aware of the peril of trying to take the singer’s photo and question him on video and did so anyway, court papers show.

West’s attorneys allege new information was gleaned from depositions of plaintiff Daniel Ramos and a fellow photographer that demonstrates the paparazzo “knowingly assumed a risk and was negligent when he deliberately sought to provoke West.”

West’s attorneys want to amend his answer outlining his defenses to Ramos’ complaint. A hearing is scheduled March 4 in Los Angeles Superior Court. West pleaded ’no contest’ and was sentenced to two-year’s probation in the related criminal case.

Ramos alleges his right hip was injured when the rapper punched him and wrestled his camera to the ground in an unprovoked attack on July 19, 2013. He sued West a month later.

Ramos admitted that a week before the confrontation, he saw a video in which the rapper appeared angry and told photographers not to talk to him, according to the new court papers filed Tuesday by 37-year-old West’s attorneys.

The other paparazzo stated in his deposition that he was with Ramos and other photographers that day, that they all knew West was upset about a “family problem” and that the singer did not like being questioned on video, West’s attorneys’ court papers state.

Nonetheless, Ramos said he wanted to “(expletive) Ramos off,” the other photographer stated, according to West’s attorneys’ court papers. Ramos hoped he could capture on video a reaction from West that he could sell “for thousands of dollars,” the singer’s attorneys allege.

“Based on the foregoing ... the jury may reasonably conclude that (Ramos) knowingly and intentionally assumed a risk and was negligent to deliberately provoke West in order to get a hostile reaction ... despite having been warned not to do so,” according to West’s attorneys’ court papers.

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