Photographer David LaChapelle sued for allegedly beating and choking gallery owner

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David LaChappelle, a photographer known for his portraits of Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor and a host of other celebrities, is being sued for $1m by a gallery owner who claims to have been beaten and choked by the Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone contributor.

James Parmenter, who in the past has exhibited LaChapelle’s works at his Bigfork Collaborations gallery in Bigfork, Montana, filed the case at a Manhattan court earlier this week. He alleges that the photographer attacked him at a Manhattan apartment in March last year, choking him “to the point of unconsciousness”.

“LaChapelle pushed and threw Parmenter around the apartment, including into the bed, exercise equipment and closet, and choked Parmenter nearly to the point of unconsciousness,” according to the lawsuit.

The attack is alleged to have taken place at the house of Fred Torres, LaChapelle’s former manager. Last year, the photographer was reported to have sued Torres for allegedly cheating him out of millions of dollars from sales of his work.

One of the photographer’s representatives denied the gallery owner’s claims, according to the New York Post.