By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
DANCEHALL ARTISTE Michael Sterling, more popularly known as 'Alozade' could be facing a second lawsuit when he returns to the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on March 20 to finalise method of payment in relation to a previous lawsuit.
Sources tell The Gleaner that the attorney-at-law representing police officer, Constable Steve Dempster has filed a $250,000 suit against the DJ, even as he is negotiating to pay $140,000 he owes to another policeman, Constable Ronald Reid.
Sterling and Reid were unable to reach an agreement on Monday when they appeared before Resident Magistrate Ms Carolin Tie in the Montego Bay RM Court as to how the officer would be paid the money owed to him as a result of injuries he received during a court room brawl in September 2001.
The Gleaner understands that Sterling was offering to pay the officer instalments of $7,000 monthly but Reid's attorney Mr. Morrell Beckford rejected the offer saying that would prolong the payments and asked for $50,000 per month instead.
The officers sued Sterling after he attacked them in full view of a Resident Magistrate and a packed courtroom in September after he appeared to face charges of breaches of the Town and Country Act after using expletives during a stage show earlier in the year.
The DJ who was cited for contempt of court was being escorted from the courtroom by Constable Reid when he spun around and hit him. A melee ensued and Dempster who was nearby went to the assistance of his colleague and both were injured.
Sterling was subsequently charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, malicious destruction of property and using indecent language and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment at hard labour and fined $16,000 in October 2001.
