A man is seeking a default judgment against a former bodyguard for YouTube personality Jack Doherty, who allegedly ordered the protector to beat up the plaintiff during a 2023 live-streamed Halloween party.
Plaintiff Chase Cameron Gardella’s suit is scheduled for trial on March 29, 2027. Gardella, who since the alleged attack has become a practicing lawyer, names as defendants Doherty, Jack Doherty LLC, Banger Official LLC and the bodyguard, Justin “Kane Kongg” Goslee as well as Goslee’s company, Kongg Inc. The suit’s allegations include assault, battery, negligence, negligent hiring, retention, supervision and training, aiding and abetting, unjust enrichment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In court papers filed Wednesday with Judge Michael R. Amerian, Gardella’s attorneys state that as part of the default judgment effort a statement of damages was filed with Goslee and that the same will be done with Kongg Inc. Gardella is seeking punitive damages against both.
On his own motion, the judge on Thursday rescheduled a hearing on the default from Friday to March 19, 2027. Gardella’s attorneys had asked for a delay of Friday’s hearing for at least 90 days so that Kongg Inc. could be served with the notice of entry of default.
Doherty, now 23, hired Kongg as his defender and to participate in content in 2023 because he wanted to profit off of Kongg’s tendency to engage in violent behavior, Gardella’s lawyers allege.
Before leaving for a party in October 2023, Doherty and Kongg viewed a video of Kongg knocking a woman unconscious while providing security for a previous employer, according to Gardella’s attorneys’ court papers. Inspired, Doherty sought ways to encourage Kongg to engage in violent behavior in order to impress his viewers and instructed Kongg to fight the plaintiff, then celebrated that he got good content, Gardella’s lawyers further contend in their court papers.
In a related matter, a hearing is scheduled Nov. 23 on a request by Doherty’s attorneys to end their representation of the influencer.
“Professional consideration requires termination of the representation,” Doherty attorneys Courtney M. Serrato and Olivia Zorayan state in their court papers, but they gave no further explanation.