Bill Murray accused of pouring glass of water on photographer at a restaurant in Martha's Vineyard
According to numerous sources, actor and comedian Bill Murray has been accused of assaulting a reputed photographer during an event on Wednesday in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. No charges have been filed but Murray has countered the accusation saying the photographer had been "harassing him while he was quietly minding his own business."
A police report on the incident lists the complainant as 71-year-old Peter Simon, who just so happens to be the brother of popular singer-songwriter Carly Simon. According to the Boston Globe, Simon stated to law enforcement that he was on assignment taking pictures for The Martha's Vineyard Times at Lola's in Oak Bluffs when Murray accosted him, swore at him, and threatened him.
Simon said he was at the event because he was invited by The Marotta Brothers Band to take pictures for his weekly feature Vineyard Scene. Having done so, he apparently stepped away to check whether he had snapped any good shots only to find someone forcefully grab him from behind, turn him, and slam him against a door. The photographer claimed he didn't realize it was Murray and thought that it was a bouncer who was threatening to throw him out of the restaurant and cause him bodily harm.
As things got heated, Simon told Murray, "Do you know who I am?" to which the 'Ghostbusters' actor is said to have responded in kind. They then separated from one another but there was more to come. The 71-year-old says he continued to take photographs and was minding his own business when Murray approached him and poured a glass of water on him and his camera, adding he felt treated like "the scum of the Earth."
While Simon has not filed any charges as of yet, he has not ruled out the possibility and informed police he thought a disorderly conduct charge against the actor would be appropriate for the indiscretion.
However, Murray is not the only person denying culpability. Oak Bluffs owner Katherine Domitrovich told police that Simon had "no business photographing anyone in the restaurant and was generally annoying."
Unsurprisingly, Simon has denied the allegation, with Jamie Kageleiry, the associate publisher for The Martha’s Vineyard Times backing up the 71-year-old's assertion that he was at the restaurant to photograph the band. He also was informed by the police that he would be subject to trespassing charges if he went back to the property.
Kageleiry insists that the paper "prides ourselves in giving celebrities their space," and described Simon as 'professional and well-mannered.' The photographer similarly reiterated that he was not "a paparazzi-type photographer," a claim that is given credence by the fact that he has, in the past, photographed the likes of Bob Marley, The Beatles, The Police, and Led Zeppelin. He has now demanded an apology from both Murray and Domitrovich.