Reporter Sues Man for Attacking Him with His Own Tripod
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Back on July 8th, FTVLive told you that WCHS (Charleston) Reporter/Photographer Bob Aaron was attacked by a guy that grabbed his tripod and used it against him.
Now Aaron is suing the guy over the attack.
Aaron says he received a tip about a potential story regarding neglected mules and horses, so he went out to investigate the story.
Aaron pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road and set up his tripod and camera on the public road to take footage of the scene.
While he was taking footage on the public roadway, Howard J. Lilly charged him, shouting for him to stop filming and to “head down the road,” according to the suit.
Aaron claims he informed Lilly that he was on a public road and would leave once he had finished with the video.
Lilly then “violently grabbed plaintiff’s camera equipment and began to try and take the camera and tripod.”
Aaron claims he was able to retrieve the camera so that it would not fall to the ground, but was unable to stop Lilly from grabbing the tripod.
Lilly then took the tripod and began swinging it to strike Aaron and struck him more than once, causing serious injury, according to the suit.
Aaron claims the lens of the camera was completely destroyed, however, prior to it being destroyed, it was able to record much of the altercation.
After the defendant stopped swinging the tripod, Aaron was able to retreat to his vehicle, with the camera, but Lilly kept the tripod, according to the suit.
Aaron is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest.
