Beyoncé Subpoenaed In ‘Black Is King’ Shelter Island Lawsuit
Following the release of ‘Black Is King,’ Beyoncé is now being subpoenaed in a new lawsuit, which was filed by a resident of Shelter Island, the town which hosts a historical site where filming took place for the Disney visual album.
The resident has been identified as Mike Gaynor, who owns a horse farm on the island. Gaynor is seeking legal action against the local town council for allegedly permitting Queen Bey to shoot a video at a sacred site in return for what he calls a “substantial fee.” He also alleges the town gave Beyoncé and Disney the green light without obtaining the proper permits for the shoot at Sylvester Manor; which once belonged to former slave trader Nathaniel Sylvester, and is also a property that neighbors Gaynor’s.
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Furthermore, Gaynor’s filing states ,”The farm was paid a substantial fee for the Filming and was required to sign non-disclosure agreements assuring its secrecy.” Gaynor adds, “It has now been over a month since Beyoncé was served with the Subpoena, and she has not objected to any of the Subpoena . . . nor has she provided any justification for her failure to respond.”
Gaynor says, “I’m a very wealthy person, and I’m able to defend myself when I’m treated unfairly in my community. What we find so beautiful about Shelter Island is its historical nature, it’s a very simple place, untouched, but increasingly the fact is that if you’re wealthy on the island you’ll be treated one way, and it’s different for everyone else.” Joining his sentiments, another local resident adds, “The residents here are sick of the town board. We think they give favors to elites like Beyoncé. They don’t care about the Ambulance Corps or the Meals on Wheels programs — they’re only for rich people.”
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