An electrician has accused James Brown of holding him captive against his will and brandishing a knife while he attempted to carry out repair work at his home.
According to a report in the Augusta Chronicle, police are investigating claims made by electrician Russell Eubanks, who alleges after going to investigate a complaint of no electricity at Brown‘s home at Beech Island, South Carolina on July 3, he was confronted by the singer, who thought he was trespassing on his property.
Now, according to reports on VH1, a criminal suit has been filed at the local Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, and claims Brown was wearing “black jogging pants, a red muscle shirt, a black leather jacket, black-and-white cowboy boots and a black cowboy hat with white, black and red feathers in the front”, at the time of the incident. It also somewhat bizarrely quotes Brown as claiming to be a government agent, saying he could: “Lock you (Eubanks) up for trespassing and sneaking around on my property.”
The report also claims Brown told Eubanks that this would be his last day working for his electricity firm as he would be fired, and he wasn’t allowed to leave the property. Soon after he was escorted off the premises by security.
Local police have been unable to question Brown about the alleged incident, as has been in Europe and the UK – where he headlined last weekend’s Essential Festival in Brighton.
Local police are quoted as saying Brown will be interviewed when he returns to the US. “Mr Brown, in past instances, has always been very cooperative,” a spokesperson for the police told local reporters.
This incident is the latest legal problem facing the singer. Brown is also being sued for sexual harassment by a former employee of James Brown Enterprises Inc, who claims he demanded she wear Zebra print underwear while she massaged him.