Man Claims Shaq Set Up Kidnapping In Court
Robert Ross, the man who claimed he was beaten and kidnapped because he allegedly possessed of tape of Shaquille O’Neal having extramarital sex, testified about the encounter in court on Monday.
According to court transcripts released over the weekend, Ross testified that he once owned a tape of the retired NBA all-star having sex with another woman, but it had been recorded over by the time he was taken for a ride by seven Main Street Crips in 2008.
As previously reported, Ross claims he was beaten, robbed and kidnapped by armed gang members whom he says were sent by Shaq and his business partner Mark Stevens to retrieve the tape.
In court Ross claimed that he did once was in possession of a Shaq sex tape, taken by surveillance cameras in his home.
“He was at my house with some girl and it was on tape,” Ross said.
“So did you really have a video of Shaq or had it already been recorded over?” Deputy Dist. Atty. Chun asked.
“It was over. It was gone,” Ross responded.
Ross also testified that one of the gang members who kidnapped him, James Harbin, brought up Shaq’s name as a reason for the kidnapping, during the incident.
“And [Harbin] said he needed you to — you needed to clear up some kind of issue?” Chun asked.
“Yes,” Ross replied.
“With who?” the prosecutor asked.
“With Mark and Shaq,” Ross said.
“And did defendant Harbin — ‘Wood’ — tell you what would happen to you if you didn’t go?” Chun asked.
“He said, ‘If we wanted to kill you, we can. You know how we get down,’ “ Ross said.
Ross testified that another member of the gang remarked, “Shaq and Mark know who the real boss is now and he asked me for the tape that I lied and said I had.”
Seven members of the Main Street Crips are on trial facing kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy in connection with Ross’ abduction.
O’Neal and Stevens have denied involvement and neither has been charged in the case.
Ross is expected to resume testimony when the hearing commences July 6.
