SAN DIEGO (AP) -A lawyer for a sports marketer who is suing football star Reggie Bush said he and his client walked out of a deposition Tuesday after a bodyguard for Bush’s attorney opened his jacket to expose a pistol.
“He made sure we saw it,” said attorney Brian Watkins, who represents sports marketer Lloyd Lake.
Watkins said Bush attorney David Cornwell told him the bodyguard had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The bodyguard identified himself only by his first name and did not present a business card, Watkins said.
Watkins said the man also flashed the gun to Lake in the building’s lobby before the deposition.
“It’s outrageous that he shows up strapped for a deposition,” Watkins said. “That’s outrageous conduct in the lawyer world. Come on, we’re lawyers. I don’t threaten people, I sue them.”
Cornwell did not return phone calls and an e-mail seeking comment.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, the law firm that hosted the deposition in its San Diego office, said it was investigating. It said none of its lawyers were present at the deposition.
firm absolutely prohibits the presence of firearms in any of our offices and we believe our personnel were unaware that a firearm had been brought onto our premises, assuming that did occur,” the firm said in a statement.
Phone calls to another attorney who was with Cornwell and the court reporter were not returned.
Lake is suing Bush and his parents to recoup nearly $300,000 in cash and gifts they allegedly accepted during Bush’s sophomore and junior seasons at University of Southern California. Lake and his partner, Michael Michaels, were trying to attract Bush as a client for the marketing firm, New Era.
“I knew they weren’t going to like what they were going to hear, but I never thought they’d bring a gun,” Watkins said.
Watkins said Bush is scheduled to give a deposition on Feb. 25.
“They know the day of reckoning is coming,” Watkins said. “They are panicking. They’re resorting to this.”
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