Snoop Dogg has been cleared of assaulting a fan at one of his concerts in 2005.
The rapper, real name Calvin Broadus, was not directly involved in the attack, the Santa Monica jury ruled, though his label, another performer and other involved parties were ordered to pay $449,000 (£295,065) in damages. The plaintiff, Richard Monroe Jr, had sought a much larger judgment of $22m (£15.1m).
Monroe was severely injured after climbing onstage during a Snoop gig at Seattle's White River Amphitheatre. Though Monroe had understood the rapper to be inviting his fans onstage, Snoop's security staff saw differently – launching at him with fists flying. "I was getting punched, kicked, kicked, punched," Monroe testified. "It was brutal. I was really in shock. I couldn't believe it."
Over the course of the two-week trial, the jury was repeatedly shown a video of the brawl – a video that contradicted Monroe's allegation that Snoop had personally struck him. The rapper was ultimately cleared of civil assault and battery, with Doggystyle Records, rapper Soopafly and other unnamed parties being fined.
Monroe's lawyer, Brian E Watkins, said he was happy with the judgment. "We're very pleased that the jury found that this incident was not something to be taken lightly," he told the Associated Press.
While Snoop Dogg testified earlier in the trial, he was not present for the verdict.
