LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A judge today declined to rule on a request by a former personal assistant to Katt Willams for a default judgment of more than $3 million in her assault and battery suit against the comedian, instead setting a hearing next month for a showing of evidence of damages.
Yadira Torres' Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit was filed in March 2017 and alleges Williams punched her and pushed her against a glass door at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City in 2016.
Torres filed court papers collectively seeking a default judgment of $3,011,675 against Williams and Kattpack Investment Inc., identified in her court papers as Williams' employer. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court rescheduled Thursday's hearing on Torres' request to Nov. 19, saying she wanted to see proof of the plaintiff's claims.
“Plaintiff should be prepared to present evidence supporting her claims for lost earnings, other economic damages, pain and suffering/emotional distress damages and punitive damages,'' the judge wrote in a brief ruling.
The suit filed in March 2017 states that Williams hired Torres in 2012 at a salary of $5,000 a month and that she worked for him until December 2016, when the two were at the Sportsmen's Lodge and got into a dispute over the transportation of luggage when leaving the hotel.
“Williams became upset and punched Torres, then pushed her against a glass door,'' the suit states.
“I sustained severe injuries to my jaw, head and neck region,'' Torres said in a sworn declaration.
Police arrested Williams and took Torres to Sherman Oaks Hospital, thesuit states.
On an earlier occasion, Williams crashed his Corvette while driving from Atlanta to Louisiana while on tour and Torres, driving a second vehicle, ran to rescue him, she further states in her declaration.
“I hurried out of my car, ran across the freeway and rescued (Williams),'' Torres said. “Yet, when the crew got back to the hotel, (Williams) verbally abused me, called me names and restrained me in the hotel room for three hours as punishment for no reason.''
Torres resigned after the Sportsmen's Lodge incident and is still owed back wages from the 49-year-old Williams, according to her complaint. From May to July 2016, he paid her only $300 and did not reimburse her for out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the job, the suit states.
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