Former Wast Point cadet Richard King has filed suit against superstar R & B singer Patti LaBelle and her entourage, including her manager and his son, her hairdresser and her bodyguard, The Associated Press reports. The suit alleges that in 2011, LaBelle’s bodyguard Efrem Holmes brutally beat King outside a Houston airport as he was waiting for a ride after arriving home for spring break. According to King’s attorney, the assault left him with brain damage that caused him to drop out of West Point.

King’s lawyers say the former cadet was simply minding his own business and not provoking anyone. LaBelle’s lawyers, of course, tell a different story. They claim he had at the time a BAC of 0.28, nearly four times the legal limit. They say King was the aggressor and was warned multiple times to step away from LaBelle’s vehicle, which they say he repeatedly attempted to enter.

“This wouldn’t have ever happened if Mr. King had not been drinking,”said LaBelle attorney Geoffrey Bracken. They also allege his departure from the military academy was not due to brain damage, but a history of academic and behavioral problems.

The trial is expected to last about a week. In video testimony, King’s first witness (a security expert) testified that Holmes’ actions were inconsistent with personal security best practices and overly aggressive.

At the time of the incident, Holmes and Norma Harris, LaBelle’s hairdresser, were charged with misdemeanor assault. The criminal charges against Harris were later dropped, while Holmes was acquitted in November. The suit seeks unspecified damages.