Chrisean Rock was accused of assaulting a woman at a Hollywood premiere party three years ago, and now a judge is deciding whether to award $250,000 to the alleged victim.
On Friday (June 26), Burbank Superior Court judge Frank M. Tavelman heard live testimony from plaintiff Lashala Irby and is now taking the default judgment request under submission. Nobody appeared on Rock's behalf at the hearing.
Irby testified that the alleged assault occurred on January 22, 2023, at a Baddies West premiere party hosted by Zeus Networks, claiming that the encounter was initially cordial before it escalated into violence.
"After discussing a prior working relationship with [Rock], I turned around and began to walk away," Irby testified in court. "Suddenly and without warning, [Rock] physically assaulted me with such force that I suffered severe injuries and damage."
Irby also addressed the trauma of having the alleged attack captured on video and shared widely online. "I was violently assaulted by a well-known celebrity, and that assault was captured on video that continues to circulate across the internet to this day," she said. "Knowing that strangers can watch one of the most terrifying and humiliating moments of my life at any time has been emotionally shattering."
She said the ongoing exposure forces her to relive the trauma each time the footage surfaces, adding that the public spread of the video has "magnified my suffering in a way that words can hardly capture."
On the $250,000 that she’s requesting, Irby stated it "reflects the severity of the injuries I suffered at [Rock's] hands, the overwhelming pain and suffering she caused me and the malicious and unprovoked nature of her brutal attack."
The civil suit, which carries claims of assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and premises liability, was filed in October 2023. Rock has not participated in the proceedings throughout the case.
Co-defendants Zeus Networks LLC and the property management company reached a tentative $35,000 settlement with Irby, leaving Rock as the sole remaining defendant.
Judge Tavelman's ruling on the case remains pending at the time of this writing.
