R&B artist Mark Morrison was taken into custody in Florida after reportedly pushing a restaurant manager during a heated argument, as per reports.
An incident involving the singer of the ’90s hit song occurred at Le Bar à Vin in Palm Beach on Saturday, following an altercation the previous night, according to a police report obtained by TMZ.
The 50-year-old artist got into a verbal dispute with the venue’s general manager over an event that was planned with the venue on Friday, as stated in the report.
During the confrontation, witnesses claimed that they saw the singer of “Return of the Mack” push the manager. The manager did not retaliate after being pushed.
A witness intervened and separated the two men before the situation escalated further, according to the police. Morrison then left the venue.
Morrison was arrested by the police and charged with simple battery following the incident, TMZ revealed.
A photo obtained by the outlet depicted Morrison, dressed in a black shirt, tan shorts, and yellow shoes, being handcuffed by arresting officers before being held overnight.
The artist posted a $1,000 bond and was released the following morning.
The nightlife manager of the restaurant, Fabrizio Riillo, informed the Palm Beach Daily News that Morrison had brought another singer to the venue on Friday for an event he organized.
Morrison repeatedly asked the singer’s crew to increase the volume, but when it became too loud, the restaurant’s general manager, Nicola Lavacca, instructed the R&B star to lower it, Riillo claimed.
“Mark Morrison returned on Saturday night looking for a fight,” Riillo told the outlet.
Morrison’s lawyer, Rick King, told TMZ that the altercation between his client and the manager “arose in the context of a racially charged confrontation.”
“It is important to acknowledge that this altercation between Mr. Morrison and the male employee of the Le Bar à Vin, Nicola Lavacca, arose in the context of a racially charged confrontation,” King stated.
“At this time, Mr. Morrison and his legal counsel are working diligently to ensure that the facts of the case are fully understood and appropriately addressed.”
King mentioned that the singer is cooperating with the authorities and expressed confidence that he will be exonerated after an investigation.
The attorney urged the public not to rush to judgment or form conclusions about Morrison until all the facts have been presented.
Morrison is set to appear in court for his arraignment on April 15 at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, according to the Palm Beach Daily News.
Morrison is best known for his songs from the 1990s such as “Crazy,” “Let’s Get Down,” and “Return of the Mack.”
“Return of the Mack” was ranked number 318 in Billboard’s 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time in 2023 and reached 500 million streams on Spotify in January.
Morrison was born in Germany and resided in Leicester, England, before relocating to West Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 11.
The R&B singer has had several encounters with the law in the past.
In 1997, he was convicted of attempting to bring a firearm onto an airplane and served three months in jail.
“Return of the Mack” reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 that same year.
In 1998, Morrison was in Barbados when he was supposed to attend court for charges related to possessing an offensive weapon.
Upon his return to the UK, he was arrested but later acquitted of the charges.
However, later that year, the singer was sentenced to a year in jail for hiring a lookalike to fulfill his court-ordered community service following his involvement in a brawl that resulted in a fatality, as reported by The Independent.
