Never a dull moment on Real Housewives of New Jersey! Two weeks ago a massive brawl broke out during an event for Kim D's new boutique, Posche 2.
We've been covering the story and reported that on Thursday Jacqueline and Chris Laurita along with Joe Gorga were charged with assault and terroristic threats after they reportedly assaulted Johnny Karagiorgis while Bravo cameras filmed the whole thing.
All the nonsense allegedly started when Johnny and his wife Penny Drossos-Karagiorgis (possibly conspiring with Teresa Giudice and Kim according Melissa to some sources) threatened to bring Melissa Gorga's ex-boyfriend to the salon. Then Johnny allegedly made comments about Jacqueline's son Nicholas. In a new interview Johnny denies all involvement – and he blames producers for setting him up!
“I was ambushed and attacked,” Johnny told NorthJersey.com. As a result of the brawl Johnny suffered a broken nose, bruises, lumps and head trauma. He also says he was hit in the head and still has “a mark on my forehead from a stiletto heel.” Our source, Tom Murro, tells us Jaqueline yanked off her shoes during the brawl and was slapping Johnny in the head (with her hand)!
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“This is the type of notoriety I don’t want,” Johnny insists. “I never spoke negatively about any child.” Johnny's police complaint alleges Poison threatened: "'I’ll [expletive] kill you,' as he was repeatedly punched in the head."
The complaint continues:
"Melissa Gorga, and Teresa Giudice, then allegedly walked around the camera crew." Next "Christopher Laurita punched the victim on the left side of the head with a closed fist. Laurita similarly threatened to kill Karagiorgis."
“Mr. Gorga then emerged from behind the victim and again punched him with a closed fist. This time, he struck him in the back of the head. Ms. Jacqueline Laurita then struck the victim in the forehead with the heel of a stiletto type shoe. Eventually, security for the television show was able to separate all parties involved without any further incidents.”
"The police report states Karagiorgis 'had obvious injuries to his head,' including lumps and abrasions."
A witness at the event confirms Johnny's head injury. “All I saw was, there was a guy, he was bald, and he had a big gash on his head. And he was walking out," says Paula Phelan a colorist at the salon. "One of our assistants was yelling that he had blood on his hands. He had to run and wash his hands really quick.”
Reportedly tens of thousands of dollars in damages was done to the salon and boutique, including destroyed merchandise and a sink ripped out from the wall and thrown!
Johnny, through his attorney Nicholas Sekas, claims he was set up by the production company in charge of producing RHONJ. This same accusation was made last year at the Posche Fashion Show when Teresa claims she was completely set-up by production.
Mr. Sekas insists Johnny and Penny attended the event to "make peace" with Joe and Melissa but were unfortunately blindsided by production. “He was assaulted and humiliated and they filmed it,” Mr. Sekas says. He even goes so far as to allege that "his client was being held for his attackers by security guards."
Mr. Sekas explains that on March 1, Melissa and Joe filmed a sit-down at Penny's hair salon with Penny and Johnny to discuss the rumors the couple was starting about Melissa's past. Unfortunately that chat didn't go well and the animosity continued to spiral out of control.
“This was something that was done for a reality show gone awry,” Mr. Sekas reveals of the brawl. “We will cooperate with the authorities because we want justice to be served. My client doesn’t want these people to get away with it.”
He also says more than three people were involved in the orchestrated attack against his client and this was a “a reality show gone wild. It was done for a ratings grab.”
Speaking out against the latest trouble the show has caused her and her family, Jaqueline tells PEOPLE that she is focusing on the positives and she has a good relationship with all her co-stars at this point. "We've all been through so much but we are in a really good place right now," she shared. "We've put a lot of the bad blood behind us and worked through our issues."
A source close to Jacqueline defends her against the allegations made by Johnny. "She never used her shoe against [Karagiorgis]. And everyone felt as though he came in there confrontational, and instigated the fight."
Jacqueline, Chris, and Joe have all filed counter-complaints against Johnny. Those are currently being investigated by authorities although no determinations have been made. An initial hearing is set for April 18. No arrests have been made at this point.
[Photo Credit: BRAVO/NBC]
TELL US – WAS JOHNNY SET UP BY PRODUCTION? HAS RHONJ,YET AGAIN, GONE TOO FAR? DO YOU BELIEVE JACQUELINE, CHRIS, AND JOE ARE GUILTY OF ASSAULT?
