Tom Brady And Gisele Sued Over Wedding Shooting

NEW YORK — Two photographers sued New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen for $1 million Tuesday, saying they were shot at during a post-wedding party in Costa Rica.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan alleged that the photographers, though the shot didn't hit them, suffered physical and mental harm from the attack during a celebration in early April at Bundchen's holiday home.

It said Brady and Bundchen hired improperly trained security guards for the April party, two months after their wedding, even though they had to know their activities were a press magnet.

AFP photographer Yuri Cortez and photographer Rolando Aviles of Costa Rican national daily newspaper Al Dia say Bundchen's bodyguards narrowly missed their heads when the guards shot at their car after they refused to give up their cameras and memory cards.

No one was struck by the bullets, but the lawsuit said Cortez and Aviles suffered physical injuries and mental anguish that continues. The lawsuit said neither of them were paparazzi.

The lawsuit said AFP is one of the world's largest and most respected international press agencies with 110 bureaus worldwide. It said it incurred great expense to send Cortez, a staff photographer, to Costa Rica.

Don Yee, Brady's agent and attorney, declined comment, saying he had not yet seen the court papers. Bundchen publicist Alison Levy said she does not comment on her client's personal life.

The lawsuit said the photographers received authorization from a neighbor of Bundchen to go on their property, where they "discreetly photographed" the party.

It said the photographers were returning to their rented car when a bodyguard approached them "in a menacing and threatening manner," demanding Cortez's camera and memory cards. Aviles ran off while Cortez tried to run but was grabbed by the bodyguard and immobilized with his arm behind his back, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit said Cortez was told that members of the Bundchen-Brady family wanted to talk to Cortez. It said he then picked up Aviles and drove to Bundchen's residence, where more men demanded his memory cards and one bodyguard tried to enter his car to remove cameras.

The photographers, both residents of Costa Rica, tried to drive away when they spotted a drawn gun in the hands of one bodyguard, the lawsuit said.

At that moment, a bodyguard fired the gun, shattering the rear window of the sports utility vehicle with a bullet that then hit the front windshield and ricocheted off it into the driver's seat, the lawsuit said.

"The bullet narrowly missed striking the heads of Cortez and Aviles," the lawsuit said.

Comments

[brahdog]

i'd watch em make a ham sammich, among other things

[Extranjero]

I don't see Jurisdiction for this action in Manhattan. Take a "shot" at filing the case here in Costa Rica. Buena Suerte!!! And by the way.......­.........p­ack a lunch.

[Mattcat25]

Good thing they had hired improperly trained Security People, otherwise those two paparazzi would have been goners!

[Faxus]

Most of the time the paps are aggressive and threatening. If someone walked up to me in the same manner that these trolls trample the average celebrity, I'd punch them in the face and break their camera and stomp on their legs until they were broken and crippled.

[lioness39]

"No one was struck by the bullets, but the lawsuit said Cortez and Aviles suffered physical injuries and mental anguish that continues. The lawsuit said neither of them were paparazzi."

This is such a crock. Cortez and Aviles say they were not paparazzi. So what were they doing in that crush of bl00d thirsty paps? And as for the 'mental anguish that continues', what about the continuing anguish these creeps cause celebs whom stalk hour by hour?

[lioness39]

make that "whom they stalk hour by hour".

[PunKinPai]

Dontcha know that legitimate photographers always hide in the bushes of neighboring yards to "discreetly" photograph celebrities?

[GallopingCat]

I really have a hard time taking a side here. Everybody was just giving 110% doing their job, that's all.

[CrazedSurfer]

They should have just put a cam on an Iguana (chicken of the tree) and sent it over to get the pics. Not sure how you call an iguana back to you though.

[GallopingCat]

Exactly, use a howler monkey for distraction.

[Cieran]

So, Tom Brady hired goons to steal from and shoot at paparazzi? That sounds like attempted murder to me.

[SolnzeUSB]

Sue the guy with millions, not the security company -- and then we wonder why healthcare costs are going up.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

Frivolous.

[games456]

"It said Brady and Bundchen negligently hired security for the April party, two months after their wedding, even though they had to know their activities were a press magnet." This made me laugh for 5 minutes. Its like a thief suing someone for getting a guard dog because they know they have nice things in their home. Its sadly amazing to me that we now hear things in the news that sound like skits from Saturday Night Live

[Glencora]

Too true.

[HalEBurton]

J-E-T-S
JETS
JETS
JETS

[nickwib]

You don’t shoot paparazzi in April, its their breeding season.

[onlyred]

Hm.. well if it was illegal to shoot at trespassers in Costa Rica, I expect there would be charges against Brady/Bundchen. Instead it looks like a couple of greedy and rude (shocker) photogs are trying to profit off of other people's fame and hard work... in whatever way they can get away with it.

[alfalfa55]

Read the story. They never trespassed. They had permission from a neighbor to be at the neighbor's house. They , never went on the Brady's property until the bodyguards went after them in their car. Then willingly went to meet with Brady and the Mrs. , then tried to escape when guns were drawn. What story are you reading?

[James Croteau]

> They had permission

Ya, right. Thats what they all say.

[YeWight]

Permission from a NEIGHBOR. If Brady and the Mrs intended to have paparazzi at their party, they would have invited them.

I've seen paparazzi in action many times. No respect for despicable roaches and their sad way of making a living. Besides, they help promote a kind of culture that should have never been allowed to thrive like this.

[shthar]

I dont think manhattan has jurisdiction over costa rica

[The Ogre]

It does if one of the defendants is "domiciled" (lives) there. I'm guessing Giselle does.

[KimberleyC]

How lame. I'm sure these "photographers" will ultimately lose.

[cedy]

I am a photographer, if I was hired to shoot a wedding, did and was shot at. I would be freaking out hard too.

I am not for the lawsuit if no real damage actually happened, but I will support the photographers never the less.

[Churchi11]

they weren't hired to shoot the wedding party...they were crashing it to take photos to sell. not that that makes it ok to shoot them, just pointing out they were tresspassing in the Costa Rican jungle on a private estate.
the ones hired were the security guards. they should at least wait until Brady's 6-10 season is over before going ahead with this lawsuit.

[mephjeff]

These guys weren't hired by the couple - they were paparazzi. Not condoning shooting at people, but these guys push the envelope habitually.

[Furby]

I guess you don't have what is called a photographic memory :) Couple did not hire the photographers, the couple hired security.

[DarwinAtWork]

I am not a photographer, if someone pointed a gun a me, I would hand over my camera and memory card.

I am not for the lawsuit, but a gun trumps greed and ego every time.

[idreamwideyed]

i'm a photographer as well, and paparazzi infuriate me to no end. I have a feeling Brady and the Mrs. hired security guards for exactly this reason. if the paparazzi want to sue, they can sue the security firm, not the people who hired them.