Arrested for hitting Bebe Rexha in the head with his phone, the accused is now using a TikTok trend as his defense.
A man has been arrested and charged for throwing his phone at Bebe Rexha during her concert in New York City earlier this week.
The singer-songwriter had to be rushed off stage and ultimately required stitches for the injury. Rexha has since shown off her battle scars on Instagram.
Now the accused, 27-year-old Nicholas Malvagna, is blaming a TikTok trend for his actions.
“It’s a TikTok trend where you throw your phone onto the stage, and a celebrity passes it and takes a selfie,” Malvagna told arresting officers on the scene.
And Malvagna’s lawyer, Todd Spodek, is running with the claim.
“As a fan, Mr. Malvagna’s sole intention was to have Ms. Rexha take photos with his phone and return it as a keepsake. It was never his intention to injure Ms. Rehxa,” Spodek said in a statement, calling the incident the result of an “unfortunate trend”.
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However, it seems Malvagna’s story isn’t impressing everyone and may have some major inconsistencies.
“I was trying to see if I could hit her with the phone at the end of the show because it would be funny,” Malvagna admitted, according to a criminal complaint.
He has since been freed without bail and instructed to stay away from Rexha, but will be returning to court on July 31.
“The phone struck her in the face which caused her swelling, redness, and a laceration to her face,” Millan told Judge Valentina Morales. “Although the parties appear to be strangers, the defendant’s actions are serious.”
We will be sure to keep you updated as the story progresses. For all the latest entertainment news, be sure to check out our page here.